A Second Chance
by Trinity Kouya Hime-sama
Summary: A story about the Charmed family. But ColePhoebe centered. With the rise of a new source and the return of Cole, the charmed family's lives get exciting.Then they get a 2nd suprise visitor who shakes things up more.Many old characters return. ON HOLD
1. Chapter 1

When she heard the doorbell ring, Piper immediately put down her book and got up to go answer it; wondering what someone was doing coming over at 2am. A slight frown of worry crossed her face; anyone calling at this time of night had to mean trouble, or be in trouble. I would just figure, she thought to herself, that now once all of their lives seemed to be going fine and their lives seemed mostly demon free, that something had to go wrong. She got to the door but hesitated, almost not wanting to open it and unleash whatever problems lay behind the door. She sighed and opened the door, while staying on full alert for whatever problems were waiting. She stopped dead when she saw Phoebe standing on the porch; with a tear streaked face, suitcases and her three girls.

"Oh my gosh, Phoebe what's the matter. Did something happen to Coop? Was it a demon? Are you alright?" Piper said so quickly she practically fell over her words.

"Oh no, Coops fine, in fact he's the demon that I have to deal with" Phoebe said with what seemed a mixture of resentment and pain.

"Coops a demon" Piper said, her voice heavy with disbelief. "How's that even possible?"

"Well, maybe not technically a demon, but anyone that evil and manipulative ought to be considered a demon." She replied.

Piper gave her an odd look and said "Ok Phoebes, you have me a little confused, I mean Coops a cupid, I don't think they even can be evil, I mean I think they are kinda like whitelighters in that."

Phoebe sighed and replied "I don't know, I mean I guess it can't be technically called evil if it's all done with the elder's permission…"

"Oh, the elders are involved are they, I should have figured that anything that had one of us in tears would somehow be traced back to them, so what did they do this time?" Piper asked.

"Well" Phoebe started "You remember how the elders sent Coop down to help me find love, and then later your boys told us that they sent him down so I could find him, well I found out tonight that the plot is much deeper and much more horrible than that. The elders actually…"

"Wait" Piper interrupted "Lets put the girls down, it's late and they look exhausted."

Phoebe looked surprised, as thought she had almost forgotten they were there. She sighed, rubbing her temples and pushing her hair out of her face. "Ok, ya, of course. Umm girls why don't you go get some of you Pj's, and put them on in the bathroom, while Aunt Piper and I get some sleeping bags set up for you here in the living room."

"Ok Mommy" Said her oldest daughter Philana. She grabbed her sisters Paulette and Pegatha by the hands and dragged them in the direction of the bathroom.

"Well I guess we better set up some sleeping arrangements and once we got them settled down you can tell me what happened." Piper said

Phoebe nodded and they headed up the stairs to collect the sleeping bags.


	2. Chapter 2

"Good night my darlings" Phoebe said as she left the living room. As soon as she left the room she leaned against the wall, with her hands over her face, rocking slightly. She was making a valiant effort to not break down, she was fighting hard against the tears, but eventually they won out. And she slid down the wall racked with silent sobs. That was how Piper found her fifteen minutes later when she came to see what was taking so long.

"Oh hun, baby what's the matter. Come on lets go upstairs so we don't wake the girls, and you can tell me about it" Piper said softly.

Quietly she led Phoebe up the stairs all the way to the attic and pulled her down on the small sofa. She gave Phoebe a concerned look, seeing that she hadn't stopped crying and seemed to be becoming slightly hysterical.

"Alright baby, calm down, lets not have hysterics. Tell me what happened. Did you and Coop have a big fight?" Piper asked.

"There is not a me and Coop, not anymore" Phoebe got out through her tears.

"Oh" Piper looked surprised and concerned "Ok, so what did he do?"

Phoebe took a deep breath and made a great effort to calm down. She wiped her face of the tears that covered it and sat up a bit straighter.

"Well, it is not something he did, more something he did not do, but not exactly" Phoebe said and saw the bewildered look on Pipers face and decided to elaborate. "It wasn't real." She stated in a dead voice "None of it was real; it was all just another big plot of the elders to interfere in our lives. I'll give you this time they thought they were helping me and they thought that this was for the best, but they had no right to do this!"

"To do what?" Piper asked.

"To send someone down with a type of geas to fall in love with me." Phoebe said.

"What! You're joking surely, even the elders couldn't be the stupid" Pipe said in shock and horror.

"Apparently they can." Phoebe replied "And they did. They got his agreement while still up there. Then they wiped his memory and stick him with the geas to love me. They then sent him down here, under the lie that he was to find someone else to love me."

"Well, ok, so they made him love you. But if he did not know, and you fell in love with him naturally, they can't screw with that, they what's the problem." Piper said.

"It's not that simple. He did not choose to love me, he may have agreed to love and marry me when they asked, but he agreed for the greater good, not because of any interest in me. And apparently the reason that I fell in love with him so easily, was because cupids naturally attract love, that's why they don't actually interact with their charges usually, and why they don't stay in one place long. It makes sense I guess, now that I think about it, the other cupid we met stuck around for a while and I ended up falling for him too. Apparently it's just some cupid thing. And with the geas the elders put on him, it just added to that, because the love they made him feel for me made him change in certain ways to better fit me. So none of it was ever real."

Piper looked horrified and was clearly at a lack for words. "Hun, I...I ...I don't know what I can say to make this better."

"Ya, I'm not sure there is anything that can be said to make this better" Phoebe said sadly "I wasted eight years of my life with him, and now its over and I find it was never real in the first place."

"Hun, you just can't think like that, you did not waste those years, you got three beautiful daughters who you love more than anything out of those years." Piper said trying to cheer her up.

"Ya, I know. Thank god too, if I did not have them I don't know what I'd do, I'd have no reason to live" Phoebe said despairingly.

"Don't say that, you'll always have a reason to live, besides the girls you also have me, and Leo, and Paige and all your nieces and nephews who love you to death, who all would be devastated to loose you." Piper said.

"Yes, I know, which is obviously why I came here in the first place" Phoebe stated.

"Well your always welcome here, after all you own half of it too" Piper said.

"Ya, well I hope that statement stays true. Since I was kinda hoping to move back in here for a while. I just can't bear to go back to my place, there's too many memories that are associated with Coop. I was hoping to sell the place." Phoebe told her.

"Well, I want you here" Piper said "But I'm not totally sure that there is room for you and your girls."

"Ya, I know, I thought of that and I came up with a great solution. With the money I get from selling my place, I want to turn the basement into a room with a bathroom attached. I thought that we could put my girls and your Prue down there, its big enough for all of them and I'm sure they'd like it. And I'd take back my room which Prue is currently in." Phoebe said hopefully.

"Well, what will you do in the meantime?" Piper said, not actually answering whether she was ok with the idea.

"Well, I figured that we'd just kinda camp out for awhile. I thought that Philana could sleep in Prue's room, since they are the same age and best friends. And my other two could just sleep in the living room and I'll camp out up here in the attic. I can pick up an air mattress and clear out a corner. So what do you think?" Phoebe asked.

"Well" Piper paused, clearly thinking things over and considering the idea "Ok, why not, I can hardly turn you out. We'll have to hire contractors and get a permit for that kind of renovation, but I think we can do it."

"Oh thank you, thank you!" Phoebe said and then yawned.

"But I just remembered, we got off topic, how did you find all that stuff about Coop out?" Piper asked.

"Oh, I had a premonition of the past and saw him agreeing to it and them setting it up" Phoebe said her voice loosing all the cheer it had gained.

"Oh, well that makes sense. I'm just surprised that you did not get this premonition earlier" Piper said "Although maybe you only got it now because now is when you were supposed to leave him."

"What do you mean?" Phoebe asked.

"Well maybe you were meant to stay with him those eight years, because you were meant to have your daughters. I mean you had premonitions about her before you even had her, so maybe it was important that you had her, so the universe, or maybe one of the angels of destiny, kept you from seeing this premonition till now." Piper said.

"Maybe your right" Phoebe said and yawned again.

"Alright sleepyhead. We can talk more and work out more details in the morning. You're barely staying awake." Piper said laughingly.

"Ok, I won't argue with that, I'm too tired to argue anymore" Phoebe said.

"Alright let's go get your bed set up" Piper said and dragged Phoebe in the direction of the linen closet.


	3. Chapter 3

A few months later…

"I just don't understand why there had been this sudden rise in the demonic activity" Paige said sounding irritated.

"I don't know, I just know that there had been. I mean it's almost unreal how often we are attacked. I don't feel safe leaving the kids alone anymore, not even with Leo, since he can't adequately protect them" Piper said with worry heavy in her voice.

"Ya, I hate leaving the kids alone with Henry these days, and that makes him mad and we fight and everything goes downhill. I just don't feel it's a good idea to leave them alone, often times it seem the kids are the object of some of the attacks, certainly not all of them, but defiantly some. And this gets Henry mad at me for putting our kids in danger and I try to point out its not something I did and that he knew when he married me what kinds of strange things happened in our family, but now its oh no this is all your fault you should have gotten rid of them by now. Don't I wish. And the fact that Phoebe is still pretty out of it and depressed doesn't help" Paige said.

"Are things really that bad between you and Henry right now?" Piper asked with concern.

"Well, ya, I mean we seem to fight all the time. And I admit, I just don't know how much more I can take. I mean it's just too much, I can't take the fighting at home and the demon attacks. I don't know, I just don't know what's gone wrong with our marriage" Paige said sadly.

"Are the kids with him now?" Piper asked.

"Ya, and I know, its not safe, but he was throwing such a fit I thought for once I'd let him have his way, maybe it would help work things out with us, I dunno" Paige said sounding very unsure of herself.

Moments later they heard a scream coming from upstairs. Piper and Paige looked at each other and simultaneously yelled "Phoebe!" And they raced up the stairs to find Phoebe sitting, alone, on her bed, but her eyes held horror within them. She looked up instantly as they walked in and she leapt off the bed.

"Paige orb us to your place, now, I had a premonition!" Phoebe yelled slightly hysterically.

Paige's face went white and she grabbed both her sisters' hands to orb home. She nearly fell over at the scene that awaited her. He sight of Henry, down, covered in blood on the floor. And the sight of her three children Phaedra, Priscilla, and Henry jr. each in the hands of a demon. As soon as the demons spotted them, they shimmered out, with the children.

Paige felt her legs collapse under her as she hit the floor, feeling numb with pain and shock. It was only Phoebe's yelling at her to come quickly to see Henry that brought her out of her paralysis. She quickly crawled over the Henry's side, shocked to see that he was still alive. But after all the demon fighting and all the lost innocents, she knew well enough to be able to see that his wounds were fatal. She bit her lip as tears fell down her face. She reached out and softly took his hand. She was surprised when he slightly turned his head and opened his eyes to look at her. She was more surprised when he opened his mouth and said "I'm sorry Paige"

"What, you don't have anything to be sorry about, it's me who screwed up and let this happen" Paige said between sobs.

"No" Henry said softly "This is my fault, for making you leave the kids with me, for being angry with you over al the demons even when I knew it was not your fault. I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have fought with you over it all, but I was afraid that it was going to tear our family apart, that you wouldn't come home one day. I love you Paige, and I'm sorry I did not stand by you."

"Its okay, I love you too, but don't say all this, don't act like your saying goodbye, you'll be okay" Paige said knowing she was lying but needing to tell him this anyway, as if maybe saying it might make it true.

"You know better than that. It ok love, I'm not the important thing right now. Promise me you'll get them back, that you won't let them be hurt" Henry said looking her right in the eye.

Paige understood that he was telling her to go after the children and answered "I promise, I'll get them back"

"Good…." Henry seemed to be trying to say more, but his breath came is slight gasps now and the blood from his wounds pooled around them dying his clothes and her skirt red. "I love you" He whispered.

"I love you too, always" Paige said giving his hand a squeeze. But as she did she felt no resistance in his hand. She slowly moved her other hand to his chest and felt for a heart beat. And it only told her what she already knew, he was gone.

With that she turned away sobbing hysterically curled up into a ball on the floor, covered in blood and tears. Phoebe and Piper stood to the side, not knowing what to do to help. Finally Piper said "Paige, now isn't the time for morning, now we need to get the kids, if we don't go now, them we won't have any chance."

Paige looked up, and her eyes which moments ago seemed to hold no sanity at all, gained more life, as thought having a purpose and a goal gave her something to hold on to, and perhaps it did. She nodded and got up. She did not seem to notice her disturbing state, her tear streaked face and bloody clothes, and she seemed oddly calm. And she said "Yes, let's go"

Piper and Phoebe exchanged a worried look but nodded.


	4. Chapter 4

The girls quickly orbed back to the attic and raced to the book of shadows, hoping to Id the demons.

"I found them!" Piper yelled out "They are called Gathians; apparently they drain magically born children's life energy. It says that they drain them on full moons, in a complex ritual that allows them to absorb the life energy and powers of the stolen children."

"Well the full moons tomorrow!" Phoebe said sounding worried.

"So that means there is still time" Piper responded, glancing at Paige to see how she was taking this. She looked like she was listening but not like she was comprehending.

"So we need to make a plan" Phoebe said jarring Pipers thoughts back to the issue at hand.

"Yes, there is a vanquish potion here, so Paige why don't you and Phoebe go work on that. I'm going to try and scry for the kids or see if I can find out where the ritual is held at" Piper said.

Paige nodded and headed downstairs. Phoebe started to follow her but turned around as Piper directed a final comment at her.

"Keep an eye on her, she's kinda out of it we don't want her to screw it up, because we are only gonna get one chance on this" Piper told her.

Phoebe nodded and headed down to the kitchen, where she saw that Paige had already laid out the ingredients. "So what's needed for this potion?" Phoebe asked, mainly to make conversation."

"Umm newts eyes, rosemary, seawater, pigs blood, crow feather, onions, cat whiskers, cow tongue, sage, salt, graveyard dirt, iron, and snake skin" Paige answered.

"Yuck" Phoebe said making a face "Glad I don't have to drink that"

Paige didn't answer but just went back to mixing the potion. Finally after stirring it for what seemed like hours she said "Pass me the salt will you"

Phoebe jumped, surprised to hear a voice after the long silence, but grabbed the salt and passed it over to Paige. "So how close are you to being done?" she asked.

"Well after adding the salt you stir rapidly for sixty seconds and then let it cool" Paige replied "So would you count for me?" Paige asked.

"Sure" Phoebe replied and started to count "1,2,3,4,5,6……… 57,58,59,60 Ok, all done, pour it into the vial and bring it to the attic, it can cool there, I want to see what Piper has found."

"Ok" Paige replied and poured the bright green liquid into the vial and followed Phoebe up the stairs.

"So what have you found?" Phoebe asked Piper.

"Actually I have good news and bad news. The good news it I found out a bit more about the ceremony. I found out that it has to be performed by a dark high priestess, in her dark chambers. The bad news is, well you remember how it was when Prue was taken by a dark priestess, no one can get a read on the places where they hold the ceremonies" Piper said sounding upset.

"Dammit" Phoebe cried "So that means what, what do we do?"

"I don't know, maybe you could get another premonition, like you did then" Piper said.

"Um no, I didn't get a premonition then, actually I had Cole go find out where she was being held" Phoebe replied.

"Dammit, well I guess that's out" Piper said.

"Go figure the one time I might actually want that demon around and he is not" Paige snapped.

"Well it's hardly his fault, we did vanquish him" Phoebe said, surprised at how quick she jumped to defend Cole.

"So that means what, what do we do?" Paige asked.

"Well, I'm sure we'll find something, I mean we were still new at the craft then, we know much more now" Piper said "Maybe we should go down to the underworld and see if you can sense them, I mean they are your children, and actually we should go now. Maybe the demons won't take the kids to the high priestess till the full moon, they might be somewhere else in the underworld till then.

"Brilliant!" Phoebe yelled "Lets grab a couple exploding potions and all purpose vanquish potions and the Gathian be gone potion and get down there."

"Ok, lets go" Paige said and all three girls ran down the stairs to grab potions.


	5. Chapter 5

Phoebe looked around warily at the cavern that Paige had orbed them to. She turned to look at her sisters and said in a near whisper "Ok, looks like the coast is clear. So Paige can you sense them?"

"Umm kinda, I mean yes, but they are moving. Dammit I think that the Gathian are taking them to the priestess now, maybe there is some preparation for the ceremony or something" Paige said sounding nearly frantic with worry.

"Alright then we have to get to them now, we just follow them to the final destination and interrupt at the best moment, vanquish the sorry asses of anyone near and get the hell out of here" Piper said.

"That's the whole plan?" Phoebe said in disbelief

"Well I don't see you coming up with a better one, and there really is not time to think a lot about this, we need to find them before they become unreachable" Piper snapped back.

"Alright, so Paige do you think you can orb us to them?" Phoebe asked.

"Ya, but lets hurry, I think they are close, my hold on them is becoming fuzzy" Paige said quickly. And just as quickly she grabbed her sister's arms and orbed them to their destination.

They were in another cavern, which basically looked exactly the same as the last. "I have really got to get the number for their decorator" Phoebe said sarcastically. Piper shot her a look to shut up. And just in time, seconds later they heard several low voices talking and coming nearer to them. Phoebe grabbed both her sisters' arms and dragged them into a niche in the cave to hide them. And only just in time, just as she finished pulling Piper in, the demons came through. And they were carrying a large metal cage, which held all three of Paige's children, and they weren't moving. Phoebe lunged and grabbed Paige just as she tried to leap out at the demons. She quickly held her in place and covered her mouth. She kept hold of her till the demons were out of sight. Finally once they were gone she let go and then Paige turned to here her eyes were blazing with fury.

"How dare you!" Paige yelled.

This time it was Piper who covered Paige's mouth and gave her a look and said in an irritated voice "Shut up, you are gonna inform the entire underworld that we are here. Phoebe was right to grab you, if you jumped on them and attacked then, they would have dropped the kids and we would have no advantage. You need to think with your head not your heart, however hard that might be, or else everything your heart holds dear will be lost, do you understand me?"

Paige looked upset and ashamed at the same time. "Ya, dammit, I'm sorry, but seeing them like that…" she trailed off looking helpless.

"I know, but you have to trust that we will get them free soon" Piper said comfortingly.

"Alright, not to break up this touching scene, but we need to follow them" Phoebe said.

"Oh ya, of course, come on lets go" Piper said and rushed in the direction that the demons had gone.

It seemed as thought the dark tunnels went on for miles, and hiding at each turn made it just seem longer. All three girls nearly sighed in relief when they saw a lighted room ahead of them.

"Ok thank god, we're there" Phoebe muttered softly.

"Alright let's try to take note of everything and then make a plan of action" Piper said.

"Talk about stating the obvious there Piper" Phoebe muttered again.

They were interrupted from their bickering by Paige saying "Look, there's the demons, and the cage. And that must be the priestess"

Phoebe and Pipe both turned to look at the room simultaneously, and simultaneously their mouths dropped open and their eyes widened with shock.

Piper quickly turned to Phoebe and said in a slightly hysterical voice "Oh my god, are you seeing what I'm seeing?"

Phoebe looked like she had been hit with a board, she just nodded mutely and finally said "Its Dantalian."

"But, but we, I mean we, didn't we…" Piper continued to stutter and finally Phoebe finished her sentence

"Didn't we vanquish her, yes, well I mean I sure as hell thought we did" Phoebe looked shocked as she said this.

Finally Paige said "Ok, what the hell is going on here, you both look like you've seen the dead walking"

"Actually you're not far wrong there" Phoebe said sounding horrified.

"What the hell do you mean I'm not wrong" Paige said sounding really freaked.

"That high priestess is named Dantalian…" Piper said.

"Ok, what's the big deal, I admit is a crappy name, but it's nothing to panic about" Paige interrupted now sounding annoyed.

"And we vanquished her back when Prue was alive" Piper finished.

Now Paige looked as shocked as them and finally said "Are you sure?"

"Yes" Phoebe said in a dead voice.

"But how, I mean that's not possible" Paige said

"Normally I would agree with you, but with the walking dead standing right in front of me I'm gonna have to disagree" Phoebe said.

"Oh god this can't be happening" Paige said, "My kids are in danger and now the dead are coming back to life, what next is the source gonna show up too?"

"Don't even joke about that!" Piper snapped sounding worried and stressed.

"Ya, that's not even funny as a joke" Phoebe said.

Paige nodded and looked back into the room and finally said "Alright, I think for now we are just gonna have to ignore the waling dead and focus on getting my kids back, we can deal with the dead later, I'd rather deal with the living while they still are living."

"Agreed" Phoebe and Piper said together.


	6. Chapter 6

The girls well thought out plans all changed as they saw Dantalian hang the cage with Paige's children over that looked like an old fire pit. That alone they could have handled, but the fire that lit underneath the cage moments later, that the charmed ones couldn't sit back and watch. So all the plans went out the window as Paige charged in and tried to orb into the cage the get her children, and found herself bounding off a magical shield of some sort, which threw her back, and she landed hard. That led to both her sister rushing out to her rescue. And so the battle began, and not in the charmed one's favor.

"Dammit Paige, now what, you got us into this I hope you have plans to get us out" Piper snapped.

"Ya, and I hope these plans include immediate departure from this room, because we are kinda surrounded and I'm kinda getting the feeling that this was a trap" Phoebe said.

Paige looked upset and said "no, frankly I don't have a bloody clue as to getting out of here, now that we are here, there is a shield that won't let me orb out, and I'm not leaving without my kids."

Their little chat was interrupted by one of the demons shooting a fireball and hitting Piper square in the side, and she collapsed immediately. Paige screamed and orbed the next fireball back at the demon killing him. Phoebe knelt down to check on Piper and was relieved to the point of tears to see she was still alive, not doing great, but alive.

"Piper's alive!" Phoebe shouted to Paige, who looked so relived.

"So now what?" Paige asked as she orbed another fireball back. Another one went straight at Phoebe who quickly levitated to avoid it, but didn't quite manage and was clipped in the leg. When she returned to the ground her leg refused to hold her and she went down to her knees.

She turned to tell Paige that she was down and saw that her sister was in worse condition. She had an athame sticking out of her side and she was down on the floor bleeding at a fast rate. Phoebe bit her lip as despair and panic threatened to overwhelm her, and she sent out a little plea to the universe for help. She looked up as she saw Dantalian walking to her, with another athame in her hands, she knelt down to look Phoebe in the eyes and said coldly "I've waited a long time to pay you back for what you did to me you meddling little witch. And now, your time has finally come" Phoebe closed her eyes as she felt Dantalian put the athame against her throat. Her head jerked up as the athame fell into her lap and she herd Dantalian scream. She looked to see Dantalian going up in flames, screaming. And with a poof, there was nothing left of her. Phoebe stared at the empty space in shock, and finally looked up more to see what had caused Dantialina's demise, and almost fainted to see that there, standing before her, acting like he had every right to be there, was Cole, Cole Turner, the love of her life, her ex husband, the man her ruined her life and tried to kill her, the man who she thought she killed. Oddly her first thought was 'what is it with dead people coming back today'. But she quickly bounced back from that to snap out "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I'm always so amazed and touched at your gratitude when I save you. As to what I'm doing here, I don't know. I felt a call for help, I felt pain in my heart and it pulled me here. I should have known that it would be you." Cole took a step back as though wanting to escape, but looked down to see the condition of Paige and Piper and clearly decided that he couldn't just leave. "Alright, let's get you three home" Cole said.

"No" Phoebe said.

"No? Are you kidding me, Paige is out cold, Leo is not a white lighter anymore, you have no other way of getting home!" Cole sounded so irritated.

"That's not what I meant, I mean it's not just the three of us, look over there" Phoebe said and Cole did as she asked and looked surprised to see the children.

"Oh, well ya I guess I mean we can't leave them, even if they are Paige's children. He quickly shimmered into the cage and picked up the three unconscious children.

"How did you do that? When Paige tried to get in she was thrown back" Phoebe said.

"Ya, well the demon is dead now so the spell put on the cage is kinda null and void now. So let's see, how shall we do this. I can't possibly take all six of you at once. I guess, since the kids are the ones currently in my arms, I'll take them back to the manor and I'll be back for you in a minute" Cole said.

Phoebe hesitated, and finally, not knowing why she was trusting him with the children, she nodded, and Cole instantly shimmered off, leaving Phoebe to wait for his return.


	7. Chapter 7

"Okay Cole, now we are here so I want an explanation" Phoebe snapped.

"Yes, I totally agree that's much more important than saving your sisters lives" Cole said sarcastically.

Phoebe looked shocked and then seemed to suddenly realize that both her sisters were wounded and bleeding. "Oh dammit, dammit!" Phoebe yelled.

"What?" Cole asked sounding annoyed.

"You said it yourself earlier, Leo is not a white lighter and can't heal them, and there is no one else who can save them!" Phoebe practically yelled, her voice heavy with hysteria and despair.

"Well don't Pipers kids have the ability to heal?" Cole asked.

For a second Phoebe looked thrilled and relieved and then the look faded and she said "Yes, but they are at magic school which I can't get to unless Paige orbs me there, and Leo can't hear my call now."

"Ok, so I'll shimmer you all there" Cole offered.

"You can't it's protected against demons shimmering in" Phoebe said.

"Oh, well…" Cole stopped clearly not having any other ideas.

"Oh god, I just have to sit here and watch them die, I can't do this, I can't loose both my sisters. How can there be no one to help me, god anyone please, someone hear me. Dammit! There has to be someone, why can't I think of anything. How can there be no one to save them" Phoebe sobbed.

"I wouldn't say no one" a voice said from behind her.

Cole and Phoebe both jerked around and stood speechless staring at the figure before them. Finally Cole managed to say "Prue?"

"In the flesh, so to speak" Prue Halliwell said with a smirk.

"Oh my god Prue!" Phoebe yelled and lunged at her sister embracing her in a life threatening hug.

The sisters stayed like that for what seemed like ages before Cole interrupted them by saying "Um guys, not to interrupt this touching display, but Piper and Paige are kinda bleeding to death over here. And while I don't know what help Prue will be, I still think our attention should be directed toward them."

The look of despair came back to Phoebe's face as she nodded and said "Cole's right Prue, it's great to see you but healing has never been one of your gifts, so I don't see why you think that having you here will save them."

"How exactly do you think I got here?" Prue asked.

"I don't know, I hadn't thought that far ahead" Phoebe responded.

"I was made a white lighter" Prue stated happily.

"Alright again, less talk more healing. Yee gods if saving them was left up to you two they'd be screwed" Cole said interrupting their talk again.

Prue looked rather sheepish as she nodded and bent over Piper and Paige and slowly healed them. Then she stood back, clearly to admire her work. Phoebe knelt down by Piper as she started to stir.

"Maybe you better hide, so you don't kill her from shock, be a waste of all that healing" Cole said sarcastically.

Prue shot him a dirty look and said "And why are you still here again?"

"Because Phoebe wants an explanation, and if I left she'd just try and summon me back, so I'm saving myself the trouble. Believe me I don't want to be here any more than you want me here. It's not like I'm gonna win a popularity contest around here." Cole muttered.

Prue smirked again at this and said "And speaking of killing with shock, seeing you would probably do the same."

"That's true, but you forget that may be my goal" Cole said with an evil smile.

"Ya right, I'll believe it when I see it, you're a regular softy, you don't have it in you" Prue said.

"Excuse me? Before you thought I was evil incarnate even though I was trying desperately to prove otherwise and now suddenly you've decided I'm harmless! What gives?" Cole asked.

"Well lets just see that being up there has allowed me to get a much more objective view on things and I saw everything that happened after my death, all of it, even the stuff my sisters don't know about. So I know you don't want to harm us, not you, well not when you're sane, which is not too often I'll give you but even so." Prue said with a grin.

"Gee thanks" Cole said "I'm not sure if I mean that for real or sarcastically"

"Probably both" Prue said

"Ya" Cole replied and looked over at the other girls to see how things were coming along there.

"I can't believe how close I was to loosing you" Phoebe said clinging to Piper "I nearly died when I thought I was gonna loose you."

"Ya, sorry 'bout that" Piper said looking confused.

"And you, next time don't rush into things, you nearly died!" Phoebe practically yelled at Paige.

Paige looked sheepish and said apologetically "Sorry about that, but hey, things turned out alright now didn't they?"

"Ya" Piper said and an odd look came over her face and she said "But wait, how did things turn out alright? I mean we were pretty badly hurt, so how are we okay now? We don't have an in house healer anymore, so what gives? And actually how did we get back here?"

"Well" Phoebe said looking excited and nervous "I have two surprises for you, one good and one I don't know."

Cole rolled his eyes and whispered to Prue "Three guesses as to which one of us is the good surprise."

Prue rolled her eyes back at him and suppressed a laugh "Gee I'm not sure, let me think?" They shared an amused look.

"Well what are the surprises?" Piper asked.

Phoebe looked nervous and said "Umm first surprise, Cole's back…"

"What!" Paige yelled interrupting her.

"…and he kinda came to our rescue and brought us back here" Phoebe finished.

Piper got a strange look and finally said in an amazingly calm voice "Well there must be more, last I checked Cole did not possess healing powers."

Phoebe shrugged and said "Well ya, the other good news it that we seem to have a new white lighter…"

Again she was interrupted this time by Piper yelling "And this is a good thing?"

In the corner Prue and Cole looked on and finally the silence was broken with "Okay have we suddenly gone invisible?" Prue whispered to Cole.

"I have no idea, you'd think that with the pronouncement of my arrival they would be looking around in suspicion trying to find me, but they seem to be kinda wrapped up in their own little world or something" Cole said.

Back over with the girls Phoebe was starting to look annoyed and she said "Would you guys let me finish a sentence, then maybe all the explanations would get done with faster!"

"Oh sorry, but I still need an answer" Piper said

"Yes I know, and I was getting to why this was a good thing. The reason the new white lighter is a good thing is first off, because obviously she saved your life and second because it's... Prue!" Phoebe said joyfully.

Now Piper and Paige glanced wildly around the room and their eyes lit on Cole and Prue in the corner and in an instant with a cry of joy Piper flung herself into Prue's arms looking for all the world like she never wanted to leave. Meanwhile Paige still sat on the ground now glaring at Cole.

"Oh Prue, I can't believe you're here, I thought they were never gonna let us see you again!" Piper said near tears.

"I'm sorry baby, it was not within my control" Prue said.

"I know, I mean I guess I do, I just missed you terribly" Piper said.

"Me too!" Phoebe added in.

"Oh hell even I missed you, or rather once Paige came around I really appreciated and would have liked having you around then" Cole said with a mischievous grin which got an answering slightly cruel grin back from Prue.

"Oh fuck off and go back to hell where you belong" Paige snapped.

"Wait a minute" Piper said "I get Prue being back here, but what the hell are you doing back here again?"

"I just knew you couldn't live without me" Cole said sarcastically.

Paige glared at him and snapped "You better be giving some real answers bud or else."

"Or else what?" Cole snapped back "Oh forget it I don't want to hear whatever lame threats you would attempt to come up with. It's not like I've been avoiding telling you, if I was trying to do that I would have taken off"

"Alright" Piper said "If you're not avoiding telling us, then why don't you tell?"

"Alright, everyone take a seat I guess, it may be a long story, and I have a feeling I'll be answering questions for a long time."

"Wait!" Piper said.

"Excuse me? First you were all at me to talk and now you want me to wait?" Cole said clearly irritated.

"Well I want Leo here for this" Piper said.

"And the children, I want to see my kids. Oh my god where are my kids?" Paige yelled.

"Calm down" Cole snapped again "They are asleep in their room, or whosever kid's room it is upstairs. They were pretty exhausted. They are a little battered but no worse for the wear. Eventually Prue might want to do a quick heal on all the scraps and bumps but there is nothing life threatening."

Paige looked slightly calmer but still suspicious and Piper finally said "Paige go look in on your kids and then go get Leo and the other kids from magic school. We'll wait to start this story till you return."

"Oh ya sure, why not, I've got all the time in the world" Cole said sarcastically clearly ticked off.

Prue laughed and said "Oh come on Cole, I doubt you have lots of terribly pressing things to do."

"True, but there are millions of places I'd rather be than here, hell I'd rather be almost anywhere" Cole said moodily.

Phoebe looked surprised and surprisingly hurt and said finally "Well that's tough luck; because you're just gonna have to wait."

"Ya whatever" Cole said turning away from her, which caused her to glare at his back.

"Alright, I'll go make some coffee, I think it may be a long night" Piper said and walked off to the kitchen. The other three just sat in silence waiting.


	8. Chapter 8

"Alright" Cole said "To start off I just want to state that none of this is my fault, so those glares you're giving me are not really appropriate. Especially since I just saved you, so try to show a little gratitude."

Cole turned as he heard Prue trying to turn a laugh into a cough.

"Fine" Piper said "But you're stalling, so get on with it."

"Alright, so I also want to state, that this is mostly speculation on my part. I mean no one sat down and explained things to me, I just have been figuring it out as I go. But as far as I can tell a new source has risen…"

"What!" Piper screamed interrupting Cole.

"Ya, what do you mean a new source?" Paige asked.

"Well if you hadn't interrupted me I might already be explaining that" Cole snapped.

"Alright guys, why don't we just let him tell the whole story uninterrupted" Prue said.

"I don't see how it involves you" Paige snapped.

"Paige!" Phoebe said sounding surprised.

"What?" Paige snapped back.

"That was uncalled for" Piper said.

"Well, she's is not a charmed one anymore, merely a white lighter, so it hardly involves her" Paige replied.

"Not true" Prue said "It's my job to oversee and guide, and to do so I need to be made aware of all plans, and important information. And I think a new source constitutes important information."

"Alright, this whole family scene is just touching, but if you want to actually hear about this new source you actually are gonna have to put aside your family issues and listen to me for a minute" Cole said.

"Oh, yes, alright guys break it up lets deal with this later" Phoebe said.

"Thank you" Cole said "Alright so as I was saying, a new source appears to have risen. Apparently he has risen with the support of previously vanquished demons. He apparently has the power to bring them back and is using them as a power base."

"So he brought you back?" Paige asked.

"Well kinda. He brought back Belthazor. Originally he brought back just Belthazor and not my human soul, or at least that was the plan. However, he was unaware that my soul was hanging out in limbo. So when my body was suddenly brought back, my soul was sucked right out of limbo and here I am. And with all that time, with my soul separate and free from demonic influence, it gained a great deal of power and control and as such I was able to take full control of my body, and kinda cage up Belthazor in the back of my mind. And then I took off. I don't know exactly what I was planning to do from there, but then I felt something pulling at my heart so I went to investigate. And was brought to Phoebe, I should have known it would be her. And well here I am" Cole said.

"So what other demons has he bought back?" Prue asked.

"I have no idea, like I said I haven't exactly been around long, and I haven't been exactly reintroducing myself to old enemies or anything nearly that fun" Cole snapped.

"Ok, well is the source a true source?" Piper asked.

"I'm afraid I don't follow" Cole said sounding confused.

"Well did he get made source in the ceremony with the grimoire and everything?" Piper asked.

But before he could answer Paige chimed in "He couldn't, I mean we hid the grimoire."

"Why don't you actually let Cole answer" Prue said.

"Thanks, and ya to the best of my knowledge I think he is, he sure seemed like it" Cole said.

"Well I guess maybe now that I'm not a white light and not checking up on it, some demon found it" Leo said.

"Great, that's just wonderful" Piper snapped "So not only do we get to re-vanquish a bunch of demon we thought we got rid of, we also get a fully powered source to deal with. That's just lovely."

"Well, bright side, we get Prue back" Phoebe said.

"Oh ya fabulous news" muttered Paige.

"Well I think I better go tell the elders and see what they think" Prue said.

"Actually you don't need to, I'm more than able to do that myself" Paige snapped.

"Well the elders would prefer me to do it from now on" Prue snapped back.

"I don't really think you are necessary, I'm more than able to handle being _my_ sisters white lighter" Paige stated coldly.

"Well actually you're not really of much use to _my_ sister when you can't even heal them" Prue stated in an even colder voice.

"Well you're not really of much used to them dead" Paige said and Piper and Phoebe gasped.

"Well good thing that's fixed now is not it" Prue snapped.

"Oh yes, fabulous" Paige said sarcastically.

"Good, I'm glad we are in agreement" Prue snapped "And now, I'll go talk to the elders, don't worry I'll be back soon."

"Believe me, I'm not worried" Paige muttered.

Cole just started cracking up and finally said "Wow, you can just feel the love in here."

Prue smirked and orbed out. And Paige rolled her eyes.

"Ok what was all that about?" Phoebe asked.

"All what?" Paige replied.

"All that sniping at each other" Phoebe said.

"I don't know what you mean" Paige said awkwardly.

"Ya right, the tension was so thick I could have cut it with a knife" Piper said sounding upset.

"I should have known you'd take her side" Paige snapped.

"Her side? I don't even understand how there are sides at all!" Piper practically yelled.

"Ok, keep it down you guys, most of the kids are sleeping" Leo said.

"Ya sorry about that" Piper replied "How are all the kids?"

"They all seem fine, as I said they are all pretty much napping, although they have taken up basically every bed in the house. We are gonna have to work something out with the living situation" Leo told her.

"Ya that's true" Paige said "And actually, well, I was kinda hoping to move back here too."

"What!" Piper practically yelled.

"I know, I know, but I can't bare to go back to my house. I mean Henry was just killed there" Paige said.

"Ya, ya, I mean I understand, but this place just is not big enough for all that" Piper said.

"True, but with this new source and all these powerful demons on the loose, living together again might be a good idea. I mean we were already having huge problems with this, and now it just seems like it might be smarter. I mean, I just lost Henry, and if we don't take more care who knows who might be next" Paige said.

"Well, we just finished with having the basement turned into a bedroom. So why don't we do a bit more construction and add on to the house, build another couple bedrooms?" Phoebe suggested.

"Well, while you are adding, it looks like you are gonna need to add on another room for me" said Prue's voice from behind them.

"Oh hell no" Paige muttered.

"What?" Phoebe said.

"Well the elders say this situation is highly serious. And the last time that you dealt with the source you had a live in healer and they feel that might be what saved you. So they have ordered me to live here with you guys in the manor. I did not think you'd mind, although I also did not think the entire family would be staying here. But if we are adding on rooms, maybe it won't be such a problem." Prue said.

"Well, I mean I guess that doesn't leave us with a lot of choices" Piper said.

"Ya, sorry about that, not my decision" Prue replied apologetically.

"I know" Piper said smiling.

"Anyway, I kinda thought you guys might like it, I mean you get to have me back. I'll admit there may be some trouble with people thinking I'm dead, but still I'm sure we can work something out" Prue said..

"Actually, I might be able to help with that" Cole said finally speaking up.

"Oh? What do you mean?" Prue asked.

"Well, like you people think that I'm dead; so I'm gonna do a little mind trick thing and make everyone believe I'm been in a coma. And I could do the same for you" Cole offered.

"Well what about personal gain?" Prue asked.

"Prue, I'm a demon, I don't have to worry about the consequences of personal gain" Cole said with a slight grin.

"So you're going to get help from evil" Paige said angrily.

"Cole is not evil" Prue stated, and Cole looked at her in surprise.

"Of course he is! My god, he was the source of all evil!" Paige yelled.

"No, he was not, he was possessed by the source of all evil, there is a difference" Prue yelled back.

"What?" Phoebe said staring at Cole in shock.

"Even so, he still was a demon for like a hundred years and killed hundreds of people, and generally I consider that evil" Paige snapped.

"Well that was not Cole, that was Belthazor, Cole's human half had nothing to do with that" Prue stated calmly.

"Um Prue, why are you suddenly all on Cole's side?" Piper asked.

"Well, as I told him earlier when he asked the same thing, being up there and being able to watch everything let me see things more objectively. I was able to see how he was not responsible for things and how hard he tried to do the right thing and see how unfair it all was. And well I was able to see that he was good. And since technically I'm the angel here, I think I'm the best authority here to say that he's not evil" Prue said.

"Ya right, I'm a white lighter too and I think he is" Paige snapped.

"Well, you are only half white lighter, so my judgment is better than yours. And I'm more objective, you are letting personal feelings and beliefs interfere with your judgment" Prue stated coldly.

"Alright enough you two. So Cole, you think you can make everyone think that you and Prue were both in comas?" Piper asked.

"Ya, it shouldn't be a problem. I'll just say we were both in car accidents. I'll change a few records and news clips. And do a general mind change that will make everyone believe that they have always known that Prue was in a coma, those who went to the funeral will think they went to visit her at the hospital and will just think that all this time she was still in a coma, and the same for me" Cole said.

"Well great, that solves that problem. And Prue you might even be able to get your old job back, I mean it did not take up all your time and being a white lighter shouldn't take all your time, so maybe you could. We kept all your equipment, its up in the attic, and it hasn't even been hurt by a demon attack, amazing" Piper said optimistically.

"Ya, that would be great. I will have a great deal of free time I think. You guys are my only charges, so ya I'd love to get my job back" Prue said sounding excited.

"And as for changing up the house, well we would probably need three new rooms and at least one more bathroom. We could move the laundry machine to Leo and my's closet, and turn the laundry room into a hallway that will lead to the new rooms. There is more than enough room on that side of the house. We should defiantly call a construction crew tomorrow and start work immediately. Paige you should hire a cleaning and packing crew for your house and put it up on the market as soon as possible. We'll need some of that money to do all the renovations. I figure Henry jr. can move in with Chris and Wyatt. And Paige's girls in one of the new rooms, and maybe Phoebe, your youngest, Pegatha, could move in there too. And Paige and Prue will each have one of the other two new rooms. For little while though, things are gonna be really crowded. Paige, you and Prue are just gonna have to set up cots in the attic like Phoebe did before, and Henry jr. can move in with the boys, and your girls will just stay in the basement room with the other girls, although that will be tight. But for a limited time that will work" Piper said.

Paige and Prue both looked horrified at the idea of living together in the attic, and Phoebe upon seeing that look quickly said "Actually, Prue can stay with me in my room."

Prue looked totally grateful and Paige looked hurt. "Thanks Phoebe that's great!" Prue said.

Phoebe saw the hurt look on Paige's face and said "Paige, I'm not picking her over you, I just haven't seen her in so long, and I want to spend time with her."

"Oh ya no worries" Paige said, and she looked away.

"Well, not to ruin the mood, but what the hell is with all the family planning. I tell you that there is a new source and you decide that the most important thing to talk about is renovations!" Cole yelled.

"Well, its things that need to be settled. It's not like there is anything we can do right this second, so we might as well get everything else in order so that when the time comes to fight the source, all these things are out of the way. And also we are just protecting ourselves, we are stronger when we are together, so making plans to live together is just another way of working on protecting ourselves" Piper told him.

He gave her a look of disbelief and finally said "Ya sure whatever. Anyway ladies. I'm gonna go get on the whole making people think we are alive thing. And try to get my job back and maybe even get the penthouse back. So well, ya that's my plan."

"Cole, once you have everything in order let me know, tell me where you are staying and all that" Prue said "I think I may end up needing somewhere to escape too" And as she said that she gave a significant glance in Paige's direction.

Cole laughed and said "Will do" and with that he shimmered out.

"What are you doing?" Paige snapped.

"What do you mean?" Prue asked.

"Acting all friendly with Cole!" She yelled.

"I think I already explained that to you" Prue said rolling her eyes.

"Ya, fine, being civil and saying he's not evil while we need info from him is one thing, but planning on getting together with him on a social basis and acting like he's your friend is a totally different and unacceptable thing" Paige snapped sounding furious.

"Well, frankly, I don't care what you think. I'll remind you that I am the oldest and I'll have whatever friends I like, I hardly need your approval" Prue told her glaring at her the whole time.

"How dare you, you are back for less than an hour and you are already putting this family in danger!" Paige screamed.

"Oh jeeze put a lid on it already. I'm hardly going to put my family in danger. I've dedicated my life to this family" Prue snapped at her.

"Ya a lot of good that did" Paige muttered.

"Well it kept them alive now didn't it!" Prue yelled at her.

"So? And I've helped keep them alive since you went and got yourself killed. And in fact I've been a charmed one longer than you ever were, so I guess by that measurement I've done a hell of a lot more than you for this family" Paige said cruelly.

"Give it up, all you are is a substitute, they just needed someone to help them fight demons. I'm the one they grew up with, who knows all the secrets and all the memories. The one who fought off the bullies who picked on them at school and helped them get ready for their first dates, who helped teach them to drive, and who they first learned magic with. I'm the original, and you are merely a replacement" Prue stated coldly.

Paige looked shocked and looked ready to cry and finally screamed at her "Well I've done things with them you haven't and things you'll never be able to do, irreplaceable things. I was there for the birth of their children and for the raising of them, and I was there when we vanquished the source…"

Prue interrupted her with "Ya, clearly you did a great job of that, didn't I just here that he's back."

"Alright! Enough! Both of you, just Stop!" Piper yelled "I don't know what the hell the problem with you two is, but dammit that is enough of all this fighting and competing. Phoebe and I love you both, equally, you are both our sisters and you're gonna have to deal with that, and not by yelling and insulting each other. If necessary we will send you two to family therapy. Actually, I think that might be a great idea, but for now, just stop yelling."

"Ya, that's enough you guys, really. Prue why don't you come with me and we'll go up to the attic and find some of your stuff" Phoebe said "And Paige why don't you go call the cleaning and moving crew and call a realtor."

"Alright, I'll go do that" Paige said.

"And I will go call a contractor and work on a floor plan for the manor, Leo please watch the kids" Piper said.

"Okay, no worries, they are still sleeping" Leo said.

"Good, and we will all talk later, alright?" Piper said.

"Ya fine" Paige said and walked off.

"Sounds good" Prue said and she and Phoebe headed toward the attic.

"Leo, I think our lives are about to get very very stressful" Piper said.

"Well don't worry honey, I'll be right there for you to lean on" Leo said.

"Thanks, I'm counting on that. I love you" Piper told him.

"I love you too" Leo said and turned and headed upstairs, while Piper went in search of her phone.

Please Review! This motavates me to write more, so if you like it and want to read more let me know.


	9. Chapter 9

"All this hammering is driving me totally crazy" Phoebe said in an irritated tone.

Prue laughed and nodded in agreement.

"Well true, but it actually really good that they could get started so quickly. I mean we actually are really lucky that we were able to draw up the plans and get started in just over a week. And Paige's house is on the market, so things are moving along" Piper said.

"Ya, and I managed to get another job at 415, which is fabulous, so things are looking good for the Halliwell's." Prue said "My one problem is, well I can't figure out what to do about a dark room. So then I got to thinking, and thought that maybe I could use the other back room at P3… what do you think?" Prue asked.

"Well…" Piper paused to think "Ya, I mean I think that could work, its not like I keep a lot back there, so ya."

"Great! Thank you so much. Can I start moving some things in today?" Prue asked, clearly in a hurry.

"Well sure, just put the stuff you find in there in my office" Piper said.

"Fantastic, well I better go call Cole" Prue said.

"Why call Cole?" Phoebe asked.

"Oh, he agreed to help me move all my photography stuff to wherever I needed. I was complaining about not having a guy around to do the heavy lifting and he offered" Prue told her.

"Oh, you two seem to be getting to be good friends" Phoebe stated, and not necessarily in a happy tone.

"Oh ya, he's great. I guess I'm finally seeing what you always told me I'd see, about time eh?" Prue said.

"Ya…" Phoebe trailed off clearly not knowing what to say. "Well look, just be careful about him. I'm kinda with Paige on this one, he's dangerous."

"Oh lay off Phoebe, just because you are no longer in love with him doesn't mean he's suddenly a bad person" Prue snapped.

"Actually it does, if he were a good person I'd still be in love with him now wouldn't I" Phoebe stated.

"No, you don't know anything about love. He gave you the world and gave up his world and that still was not enough for you, clearly love means nothing to you" Prue snapped.

Phoebe looked shocked and said "well ya he gave me the world, the entire underworld, not really what I was looking for with love."

"You don't know what you are looking for, you didn't deserve him. Oddly his is the pure soul with the pure love and you, you, you're selfish Phoebe, you won't take a risk and that's why you'll never have love. You did not even want to take the risk of Piper having Leo, you are afraid of love and that's the real reason you pushed away Cole and vanquished him. It was not that he was evil it was that you actually were starting to love him and that terrified you, the idea of someone loving you and of having to give something of yourself to someone else frightened you to death, and you ran. He deserved better, no one could ask for more than what he gave you and if that was not enough, then you don't have it in you to love another person" Prue told her.

Phoebe looked shocked, and hurt and near to tears. And finally said "How can you say that? You weren't even here, I tried and tried to make it work, it just was not meant to be."

"You just tell yourself that, if it makes you feel better to pretend that you never loved him and that you did not choose to push away your soul mate, then go ahead and lie to yourself" Prue stated .

"He is not my soul mate" Phoebe snapped.

"Yes, he is. I'm the angel, I can see things like this. And he felt you, and came to you down in the underworld. How could he do that if you did not have that connection?" Prue asked.

"It's irrelevant, it's over" Phoebe stated.

"Yes that's for sure, he's finally healing, and free of you. It's just a pity that you damn him to a life alone when you do yourself, it's hardly fair. But then again considering what you put him through anytime your with him, being alone is probably less painful" Prue told her.

"Alright, that's enough. Prue, stop it. What Phoebe chooses to do concerning her love life is her choice, and it's already done, so let it be" Piper said.

"Ya, sorry. Phoebe, you're right, it's all irrelevant, it's over and you both have moved on, I'm sorry for getting on your case like that" Prue said.

"Ya… its ok" Phoebe said looking away.

"No, its not. I hurt you, and I'm sorry. I just get frustrated when I see how lost he is sometimes. But you have the right to choose to do what you want, and I'm sorry I bitched you out like that. I love you and I want you to be happy, so I'll support your decisions and not criticize then from now on. I really am sorry, I know you do know how to love, I've seen you with your children. I don't know why I said that, I really am sorry" Prue said, and actually found she was sorry for hurting her baby sister.

"It's ok. The whole Cole situation is just a bad one, one of many bad choices and mistakes and its best left in the past. And I know that I know how to love, because I love you, to death, so it's alright. I know you did not mean it" Phoebe said, actually meaning it.

"Thanks" Prue said and hugged Phoebe. Then she said "I couldn't stand to have you upset with me. Everything is still just so new and uncertain, I don't know what the future holds, so I don't want to ever leave things with one of you mad at me, just in case."

'Ya, I understand. And don't worry, you're totally forgiven" Phoebe said.

"Anyway" Piper said "I actually meant to mention to you, Prue, I looked into the family therapy thing for you and Paige, and I made an appointment for you two on Wednesday at noon" Piper said.

Prue made a face and said "But I don't' want to work out my issues with her, I'm perfectly okay with those issues, really, I like disliking her."

"That's just the problem, you both seem like you are perfectly happy to keep on arguing and disliking each other and seemed disinclined to work it out on your own, and so now its going to be taken out of your hands" Piper said.

"Fine, fine, if it makes you happy. But somehow I just don't see us becoming buddy buddy anytime soon" Prue said "Where is the little monster anyway?"

"She's at work, where she always is this time of day. I've told you before she works down at social services she's a social worker" Piper said.

"Oh ya, I guess you did tell me, I just try to put all thoughts of her out of my head, or else it puts me in a bad mood" Prue said

"You need to stop being so closed minded about her" Piper said

"Me? She's the one close minded" Prue defended.

"You both are" Phoebe said.

"Oh now you're joining in this pick on Prue game?" Prue said

"Prue, we are not picking on you. We just want you to get along with Paige, you are both our sisters and we love you both and it upset us to see you fight so much. You need to see what a good person she is, you both are just so stuck on your preconceived notions that you don't even see each other at all" Phoebe said.

"Ya, whatever" Prue said.

"So Piper, you said that today I could finally see your restaurant, what's it called again?" Prue asked.

"It's called The Warren" Piper said proudly.

"Ya, I like the name, and I can't wait to see it" Prue said.

"Yep, it's my pride and joy. Although running it and the club is such a nightmare" Piper said.

"Well, if you need any help, let me know" Prue said "I'd be happy to help with one of them, I mean my job at 415 doesn't take much time and well neither does my white lighter duties, so I have the time, so if you need some help let me know."

"Ya, thanks, I may just take you up on that" Piper said.

"Alright, great. And tomorrow Phoebe you have to show me your office. I'm so proud of you Phoebe, you've clearly been really successful in your job" Prue said.

"Ya, I bet you never saw that coming" Phoebe said.

"Oh I knew you'd find your place someday, I did not know what you would excel at but I knew you'd find something, I'm just glad it makes you so happy" Prue said.

"Ya, I love my job" Phoebe said.

Just then Paige orbed in looking slightly disveiled and said "Alright, we have situation, there was a demon in magic school, Leo called me. We got him, but he had a companion that got away."

"What!" Prue said "I was told demons couldn't get into magic school."

"Well that was what we were told and believed too, apparently not" Piper said getting up.

"Alright, Phoebe and Paige go to the book and id the demon. Prue go check on Leo and the kids. And I will start a basic vanquish potion that we can add the extra specifics too once you figure out who we are after."

"Okay" Paige said and rushed up the stairs.

"Dammit, it just seems like these days it's a vanquish a day, or more, its non stop, we have to do something, we can't keep up this pace" Phoebe said.

"I know, but right now lets handle this, we'll discuss that kind of thing later" Piper said turned toward the kitchen.

Phoebe turned toward the stairs when out of the corner of her eye she saw movement and instinct made her instantly levitate, and not a moment too soon as an energy ball crashed right where she had been.

"Piper! Demon!" Phoebe yelled.

Hearing her, Piper ran into the room and threw up her hands to blow up the demon, but he did not blow up he just winced at the impact.

"Oh crap" Piper said.

"Paige get down here! Demon!" Phoebe yelled.

Paige instantly orbed in next to her and jumped to the side as she narrowly missed being hit with another energy ball. Piper threw her hands up again, this time to freeze the demon, which luckily worked.

"Ok, Paige is this the same demon?" Piper asked.

"Nope" Paige said.

"Great, that's wonderful" Piper muttered sarcastically.

"Prue!" Phoebe yelled out.

Prue orbed in looking annoyed and said "Yes?"

Phoebe pointed at the frozen demon and Prue made a face "Not another one" she said.

"Yep, and it's a different one too" Piper said

"Go figure" Prue said.

"Ok, how long is it going to stay frozen ya think?" Paige asked.

"Um probably not much longer" Piper said and just as she said that the demon begun to unfreeze.

"Attic!" Phoebe said and all four girls rushed up the stairs and threw shut the attic door. They rushed to the book and began frantically flipping pages.

"Found him!" Phoebe said "Mathax."

"Is there a vanquish?" Piper asked.

"Yep, power of three spell" Phoebe said.

Seconds later the demon crashed through the door, literally through the door leaving a whole in his shape in what was left of the door.

"Dammit and we just fixed that" Piper snapped.

"Um Piper ya wanna come say this spell with us?" Paige asked.

"Ya, sorry" Piper said and went and stood behind the book with Paige and Phoebe, Prue stood off to the side looking faintly jealous.

Then Paige, Phoebe and Piper together quickly recited the spell

"Demon of Pain and Fear,

Now you find your end here

And thus by the power of three

We bring about the end of thee"

And the demon went up in flames screaming bloody murder; all four girls looked away as the explosion went off.

"Well, he cleaned up nicely" Piper said.

Phoebe laughed and said "well we still actually have another demon to find and vanquish, so we better get on that. Actually I have a feeling this was the easy vanquish. Any demon that can get into magic school may be serious trouble and most likely is upper level."

"Maybe we should just ask Cole who it is?" Prue suggested.

"Let's check the book first, if we don't find him there, then we'll ask Cole" Piper said.

"Okay, whatever you want" Prue said.

"Alright, you guys look in the book, I'm gonna get back to the potion making" Piper said.

"I'll come with you" Prue said.

"Alright, lets get moving guys" Piper said and headed down the stairs with Prue following her.

"Ya, we better find this sucker before he does anymore harm" Phoebe said and began flipping through the book again with Paige peering over her shoulder.

ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp

The four girls threw themselves down on the couch with weariness.

"Well that was a nice vanquish" Prue said.

"Yes, spectacular fireworks" Phoebe said.

Piper laughed "Oh you two, stop being silly, they all go up in flames or explode like that."

"True, true, but this was a huge explosion!" Phoebe said.

"Ya, and I better go tell the elders that we got him" Prue said and orbed out.

"So Paige I was telling Prue earlier, and I should probably tell you too. I set up an appointment with a family therapist for you and Prue" Piper said.

"Oh what great news!" Paige said sarcastically.

"I also set up an individual appointment for you a few days later" Piper said.

Paige's head jerked up and she snapped "Why?"

"Why?" Piper said "You've got to be kidding me. You just lost your husband, but you have shown no grief, no tears. You act like it did not happen at all. If that's not a sign that therapy is seriously needed than I don't know what is."

"I'm staying strong for the kids" Paige replied.

"No, you're in denial and are seriously repressing you're feelings, and in this family that's dangerous" Piper said.

"Oh, so what do you want me to do, break down in tears every few seconds" Paige asked.

"If that's what you need to do to deal with it and accept it, then yes" Piper said.

"Accept it, accept what. That my husbands dead, that I let him get killed" Paige said and turned away from her sisters as the first few tears started down her face "Accept that in anger I left him alone even though I knew demons attacked the house regularly, that I left him to die, that I came here to just bitch about him while he was dieing, that I abandoned him!" Paige was freely sobbing now, to the shock of her sisters.

Finally Phoebe got up and sat down beside Paige and pulled her into a hug and said "Honey, none of that was your fault. You can't be expected to stay with him and protect him all the time."

"Yes, I should have. I brought him into this world, where he couldn't fight for himself, and it was my responsibility to protect him" Paige sobbed.

"Paige, you did not do anything wrong" Piper said also getting up and sitting down on Paige's other side. She put her arm around her and said "You didn't know that anything was going to happen, you couldn't stay with him all the time, he wouldn't have liked that, if I recall he wanted you to leave him with the children, you were just doing what he asked."

"I should have been more careful, I knew what kind of threat was out there" Paige said.

"Paige, you can't be expected to just know everything, and I was sent my premonition too late. I much as I hate saying it, well, everything happens for a reason. I was sent my premonition after he was too far gone to be saved, and that means that as horrible as it is, it was his time. No one can fight death, we've learned that the hard way" Phoebe said.

"But it wouldn't have been his time if he was not with me" Paige sobbed.

"You don't know that, he was cop, he lived a dangerous life even before he met you, it was just his time, it had nothing to do with you. You need to stop feeling so guilty" Piper said.

"How can I not feel guilty, I killed my husband" Paige said.

"Paige, do remember, you felt the same way about your parents, in fact you said the exact same thing. But you found out that there was a reason for their deaths and that you couldn't have stopped it. And this is the same thing, there is a reason and nothing you could have done would have changed that, it was his time, you need to accept this" Phoebe said.

"I don't want to accept it, because that means he's really gone and won't come back" Paige said.

"Paige, I know how you feel. I felt the same way when Prue died, trying every way known to bring her back and not even wanting to go to the funeral because that would mean she was truly gone. But that did not help all it did was lead to rage and denial, and did not end my pain. You have to grieve, allow yourself to grieve." Piper said.

And with that Paige broke completely down sobbing. Piper and Phoebe exchanged and sad but content look that their baby sister was finally grieving.

Please review and let me know what you think! I already have the next chapter ready and waiting and I will post it once I get some reviews, so if you want another chapter, review!


	10. Chapter 10

Prue slowly walked down the stairs from the attic, where she was currently residing. After a few days of sleeping with Phoebe, she couldn't take the kicking anymore. She had switched with Paige and was now in the attic. And in truth she preferred it there. She had set up quite the little room for herself. She had found a bamboo screen to block off her little area, she had a nice firm air mattress and a little dresser she had found tucked away in a corner. She had privacy, a comfy bed and room for her clothes, what more could she want. And it was just as well that she liked it since she knew that she would be getting the third bedroom built, so she had the longest to wait.

She had just reached the bottom floor when she heard knocking at the door, so she turned and opened it, and stared in shock at the person standing on her doorstep.

"Bane?" Prue said shocked.

"Wow, Prue. Weird, you look amazing, but you don't look like you've aged a day…." Bane said sounding confused.

"Ya, I haven't, I'm dead" Prue said not knowing why she said that.

"Wow, you're an amazingly solid dead person" Bane said jokingly.

"Well I'm an angel" Prue said.

"Now that I believe" Bane replied grinning.

Prue grinned too, liking the flattery. And then said "so what are you doing here?"

"Looking for you of course" Bane said.

"Oh ya. I guess that would make sense, I'm just not used to that yet" Prue said.

"Used to what?" Bane asked.

"People coming to look for me" Prue answered.

"People don't come see you?" Bane asked.

"No, as I told you, up until recently people thought I was dead, well I mean I was, but now I'm back as an angel, but they all think that I was in a comma so now they are starting to come around again" Prue said quickly.

Bane stood still and gave her a very confused look and finally said "Run that one by me again?"

"Well like I said. I was dead" Prue said.

"Dead, as in actually dead?" Bane said.

"Yep, a demon finally got me" Prue said "But now I got brought back as a white lighter, a kind of guardian angel for witches."

"Ok, I kinda follow, what was that about a comma?" Bane asked.

"Oh, well my ex-brother in law messed with some stuff to make people think that I hadn't died just been in a coma" Prue answered.

"Wow, cool trick. Does he work for the government or something?" Bane asked.

Prue laughed and said "No, he's a lawyer."

"So he pulled some strings and forged some documents?" asked Bane.

"Actually he did some demonic mind trick or something, probably forged some documents too though" Prue replied.

"Demonic mind trick? I thought you said he was a lawyer?" Bane said sounding lost again.

"Oh he is, he's a lawyer and a demon" Prue stated.

"Talk about overkill" was Bane's comment.

"Hey now be nice" Prue said.

"So I noticed the house looks like its getting bigger" Bane commented.

"Ya well with my three sisters and their kids we needed more room" Prue said.

"Come again, three sisters. I know I've been gone awhile but not that long" Bane said.

"Ya, well I have a new sister" Prue said.

"I thought you said your mother had already died" Bane said.

Prue sighed and said "Ya, not that kind of new. Apparently after I passed on Phoebe and Piper found out about our mother having an illegitimate child with some lover and giving her up. And now the girl is living here too, it's a tragic event…"

Bane interrupted saying "That she was given up?"

"No, that she came back" Prue said.

"Oh, don't get along?" Bane asked.

"Hardly, Piper is trying to send us to family therapy" Prue snapped.

Bane cracked up "Ya, well your family probably needs it."

"Gee thanks" Prue quipped.

"Welcome" Bane said.

"So wait a second" Prue said. "Did you break out again?"

"Nope I'm free and clear. Finally out on parole!" Bane told her.

"That's great, and the first place you came was here?" Prue asked.

"Well not the first exactly. I had a few things to take care of first. But this was the first place I wanted to go. I want to get my life back together. And the last time I talked to you, you made me believe in dreaming again. So I thought you could be my muse" Bane said.

Prue smiled and opened the door up more. Bane walked in. He pulled Prue into his arms dipped her down and kissed her. She responded with interest.

"Well…" Prue said.

"Ya…" Bane replied "Look, I'm not totally sure where I go from here. All I've ever really known is a life in the shadows dealing with the darker side of things. But for you I want to change, sappy as that sounds. So I'm not sure what comes next, but I do know I'd like for whatever future I build from here on to have you in it."

"I think I might like that too" Prue said.

"Alright then, lets give it a try" Bane said.

"But you still need a plan of some sort" Prue told him.

"I guess so, I was kinda thinking I'd wing it or something" Bane told her.

"Well that all nice and good, but you need to worry about getting a job and finding somewhere to live" Prue said.

"Well money's no worry; I still have plenty of that. The government couldn't track all of it or prove where I got it, so it's still mine. And believe me with that I don't ever need to work again" Bane told her proudly.

Prue did not look pleased and finally said "Well its all dirty money, from various con's and such."

"Not all of it, some of it I even earned legitimately" Bane protested.

"It's still not something you should be proud of" Prue said.

"Well, maybe not, but it is what it is. And who knows with you as my inspiration, I may end up using it to set up some charity foundation" Bane told her.

Prue laughed at the idea but let it go only saying "Well if you have the money I guess a job is not the first priority, so that makes somewhere to stay number one."

"Well, that's already taken care of. If you're gonna come try to impress a girl, a place to live and such are kinda necessary. So first thing I did was get an apartment near here, actually within walking distance. Don't worry I'm not a stalker; it was by chance that it is this close. Actually I was hoping that maybe you'd want to move in with me" Bane said.

Prue looked surprised and finally responding with "Well I am impressed, but I can't…"

"Wait," Bane interrupted "before you go saying that you can't do it, and that it's moving to fast. And that all may be true, but Prue, with our lives every day's a gift and we don't know how many such gifts we will be given, sometimes you got to live for the moment and grab onto a dream before it gets away."

"If you would have let me finish you would know I was not planning on saying it was going too fast" Prue said.

"But you said no" Bane replied.

"True, but not for the reasons you think. I have to stay here. My sisters are my charges, I'm their guardian angel and I've been ordered to stay here and live at the manor. I'm kinda special case and I have very special restrictions, and one of them is that I live here, I'm sorry" Prue told him.

Bane looked surprised and then gave a slight smile and said "Well at least you're not turning me down over something I did."

"Ya, I am sorry, believe me. Currently, as you saw, we are in the middle of renovating, and until my room is done, and it will be the last done, I live on an air mattress in the attic. So I really wish that I could take you up on that, but I can't." Prue told him.

"Alright, I guess that really can't be helped. But you are allowed to like stay the night occasionally elsewhere, right?" Bane asked.

"Well it's never really come up yet, but I imagine I can" Prue told him.

"Good" was Bane's response.

"Anyway I can't wait till my family see's you around. Piper will glare disapprovingly at first, Phoebe will drool, and Paige will be furious. She already hates that I'm friends with Phoebe's demon ex, and an ex-convict will be no better in her opinion" Prue said with a grin.

"I take it Paige is the new sis? And what about your sis's demon ex?" Bane said.

"Yep Paige is the new one. And what do you mean what about Phoebe's demon ex, you sound jealous" Prue said.

"Should I be?" Bane asked.

"Oh hell no. I mean Cole is, well Cole. He'll never love anyone but Phoebe and he's not my type, we are just friends. We have an agreed upon mission to make Paige's life miserable" Prue told him.

Bane laughed and said "So he's in love with Phoebe?"

"Oh ya, always has been. They were married but she vanquished him, he came back to get her back and she vanquished him again, so now he's back again, still desperately in love with her but steering clear" Prue told him.

"Wow, quite the tale. You sure that after all that he still loves her?" Bane asked.

"Yep, amazingly. We don't talk about it much, it just depresses him, but he has confirmed to me that he still loves her. But that he now knows he'll never get her back" Prue said.

"That's sad" Bane said.

"I know. Phoebe is a fool, the man is her soul mate and loves her more than life itself, but she will always push him away, afraid of love" Prue said.

"Well I guess it's her choice" Bane replied.

"Ya, I just wish that he did not have to go through it all, I keep thinking one of these days he'll just give up and give in, but I hope not" Prue said.

"Well anyone who has been through that much and still is around will probably be alright" Bane said.

"Maybe, but he went through it all to get her back, everything he does is motivated by love for her" Prue said.

"Well that's just not healthy, so maybe its best he moves on with his life" Bane told her.

"Ya, I just hope he can" Prue said.

"Well enough of this depressing talk, let's talk about something more cheerful" Bane said.

"Oh really, I'm surprised you want to talk at all" Prue replied.

"Well now that you mention it, I think I have a better idea than talking" Bane said.

"Oh ya tell me about it" Prue said.

"I could show you better than I could tell you" Bane said. And that was the last thing either one said for a long time.

PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

Phoebe went straight to her room upon getting home, she did not want to run into Prue right now. It was amazing how many of the things that Prue had said to her had hurt her and shaken her up. Did Prue really think Cole was her soul mate? She really hoped not. That was the last things she needed right now. As if finding out that her eight year marriage was a sham was not enough, and to know she would have to raise her children alone. Now to find out that her vague hopes that, ok clearly Coop was not her soul mate so she just needed to keep looking, were totally wrong. This basically meant that she was destined to be alone.

Sometimes she thought that she was cursed. It was better to believe that than to think that maybe she just was not lovable. Why was the universe so intent on seeing her miserable, unhappy, and alone?

She really thought that this time was different. That this was it, that she finally found the real thing. And now looking back on all the memories, and knowing that it was all a fake, that none of it was real, it shattered her.

She looked around her bedroom, at all the familiar things so filled with memories. And wondered why she always seemed to end up coming back here. Or maybe she ought to wonder why she kept trying to leave; clearly she was meant to stay here, because every time that she got her heart broken and her world fell apart she ran back here. Maybe if she just stayed here she would be safe.

But who was she kidding, saying she was unlovable, it was not that she was unlovable, it was that she pushed love away. Prue was right, she sabotaged her own relationships to protect herself and all she ended up doing was hurting herself more.

Cole, the man that she once thought she would spend eternity with. The man she had actually let her self love. The man who shattered her, who ruined everything. He took away her ability to just get by without love and then he was gone and so was the love they once had.

And once again it was all her fault, that he left. And now he was back, but years too late. She could at least admit that Coop had helped her with one thing, to get over the bitterness that she had held on to so tightly since Cole left. Oddly that bitterness had been her way of holding on to Cole, the bitterness kept everyone away, allowing her to wait. Not that she had realized it, until it was gone. And now the person she got rid of that wall for was gone and in fact never existed in the first place, and the person who had put the wall in place was back. So where did that leave her?


	11. Chapter 11

"Leo, what's wrong?" Piper asked as Leo walked into the room with an upset look on his face.

"Well, I have some news" Leo said.

"And from your face I can tell it's not good" Piper commented.

"Well, that's open to interpretation" Leo replied.

"Oh really, so what's the news?" Piper asked.

"Well, the elders have decided to assign a white lighter specifically to magic school. That demon getting in there worried them. So they felt that maybe having a white lighter whose only duties were watching the school might be a good idea. So he'll be living there from now on" Leo told her.

"Well that's not really what I'd call bad news" Piper said.

"Well that's not the real news part, or the part that might be badly interpreted" Leo informed her.

"Alright, so what the bad part?" Piper asked him.

"Well the bad news is who they choose to send" Leo said.

"God, who now?" Piper asked.

"Kyle" Leo told her.

"As in Kyle Brody?" Piper asked shocked.

"Yep, the one and only" Leo said "The elders thought it might be nice to assign someone who we knew since he would be living in my school and spending a lot of time with me."

"Gee, how thoughtful of them" Piper muttered.

"So you see why this may not be a good thing" Leo said.

"Ya, I defiantly can see how this could be very very bad. Paige won't take this well. I mean she just lost her husband, and to suddenly have Kyle come back, that could be disastrous. She could either decide that its fate that he suddenly shows up, or decide to have a fling with him to try to get over Henry. Or she may freak and feel totally guilty if she starts to like him again. Dammit, there doesn't appear to be an upside to all this" Piper snapped.

"I know, so I was thinking, maybe we shouldn't tell her. I mean from now on we could just have Prue be the one who goes to and from magic school. And maybe for awhile, at least till Paige has started healing, we should just keep him far away so as to not complicate things" Leo said.

"Ya, I think that might be best. I think, it's for her own good, I hope" Piper said.

PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

Meanwhile downstairs Prue rushed to answer the door.

"Justin Harper?" Prue asked incredulously.

"Yep, surprise" Justin said.

"Ya, no kidding. What are you doing here?" Prue asked.

"Well, I know its been years, but I never was able to completely put you behind me. I know we did not have some long term thing, but I always felt a spark. I liked you the moment I saw you, way back in high school. But once I finally got a chance to be with you, I just was not at a place to keep your attention. I know that now, I just was not the type of person you could be with, and you were right to end thing. But I've changed, and I'm sure I can be the type of person that you would want to be with, so I'm here to ask for another chance" Justin answered.

Prue just stared at him, not knowing what to say. Finally she said "What?"

"Well way back, when you told me that you did not want to see me again. You told me that you were looking for something else, someone more spontantious and less predictable. And I admit; now looking back I see your point, but I've changed. Not actually for you, but still, I've changed and I just think we'd click better now" Justin answered.

"Oh my gosh, wow, I'm glad you did not change for me, that would be strange. But I don't know what to say, I mean, well I don't know" Prue stated.

"Yeah, I understand, you're not sure that I've changed. But I have. I got sick of my life, basically I thought the same as you, things were just so predictable and boring. So I moved, changed careers and all that. I'm now a private investigator, and I've been living in Seattle for the past fifteen years" Justin told her.

"So what are you doing back here now?" Prue asked.

"Well, my dad just died. Which made my mother have a complete nervous breakdown, so I've moved back up here to take care of her" was Justin's response.

"Oh, wow. I'm so sorry" Prue told him.

"Yeah, thanks, me too. But it brought me here, where I'm actually in a position that I feel I can ask you out, again I mean. I mean assuming you're not married with three kids or something. Which I know, you probably are. I mean it's been thirteen years; even I was married, briefly. And well, its you, so how could you not be married. But I had to try" Justin told her.

"Well, actually you are in luck, I'm not married, I never got married" Prue told him.

"That's impossible, what on earth have you been doing that could keep the guys away for thirteen years, you're much too beautiful for that to be true" Justin said.

"Well, actually I've been in a coma for the last thirteen years. I got in a car accident about six months or less after the last time you saw me. And only this month did I actually come out of the coma. So ya, hard to pick up guys when you aren't conscious" Prue said hating lying to him.

"Oh my god. I'm so sorry, that's horrible" Justin said.

"Yeah, I mean, I certainly think so. I just missed so much. I missed all kinds of important moments with my family. Finding out I had a new sister, don't ask, long story I'll explain later. I missed Piper and Phoebe having kids. I missed Phoebe's wedding and all kinds of things like that, so ya, its sucks" Prue informed him.

"Wow, Phoebe is married? And both of them have kids?" Justin asked.

"Yeah, Phoebe is kinda married. I mean I actually missed three weddings for her; she is currently in her third marriage. Or rather she is in the process of getting out of her third marriage" Prue said.

"Oh wow, hasn't had much luck with marriage I see" Justin remarked.

"Yeah, not really. But she does have three beautiful daughters to show for it, so that's great. And Piper has two sons and a daughter. And my new sister Paige is married, no wait she's widowed, her husband just died a few weeks ago. But she also has three kids, two girls and a boy. And somehow we are all living here, unbelievable that we all fit" Prue said.

"Why are you all living here?" Justin asked.

"Well Piper, Leo and their kids have always lived here. And I live here because well, I haven't gotten around to finding a place to live. Phoebe moved back in here with her kids a few months ago when she got divorced, she needed the support and hated the memories associated with her house. And Paige just moved in a few weeks ago when her husband was killed, she couldn't bear to stay in the house her husband was murdered in" Prue told him.

"Her husband was murdered?" Justin asked sounding shocked.

"Ya, he was a police officer or something, and well it looks like someone decided to get revenge. He was stabbed, apparently is was very ugly and bloody. Paige walked in right after it was done, and saw all the blood and so she just did not want to go back there" Prue said, again hating the lie.

"Understandable. Wow, so it looks like life is going very interestingly in your family. I mean Phoebe getting a divorce and Paige getting widowed; sometime you'll have to introduce me to her. And also them getting you back, I mean a lot seems to be going on" Justin remarked.

"Ya, that's for sure. So ya, enough about me" Prue said.

"Ya, lets get back to the original subject. Since beyond all hope you are actually not married, I insist that you come to dinner with me tonight" Justin told her.

Prue hesitated thinking of her new semi-relationship with Bane. But nothing was official there, so going out with Justin couldn't hurt. So she said "Alright, that sounds great. Why don't you pick me up at six?"

"Great, I'll be here Justin told her.

"Great" Prue said, flashed him a smile, and closed the door.

PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

"No Coop, there is not a chance in hell of you getting joint custody. You'll have nothing further to do with my children. You lost that right when you agreed to that scam, that makes them barely even your children" Phoebe snapped.

"Well barely or not, they are my children too, you can't just not let me see them again" Coop snapped back in a rare show of temper.

"Oh hell yes I can. You forget that I've worked with cupids before, and the last time we worked so save one, so I saw the way that you can be killed, and don't think I won't. Any love or fondness I once held for you is so far gone it's like it never existed, actually it didn't, it was all fake after all. And I won't have you in my children's lives playing games with their heads too" Phoebe told him.

"I love them Phoebe, I'm not playing games with them" Coop said.

"Ya, that's what you said about me too, and look how that worked out" Phoebe yelled.

"I do love you Phoebe, maybe it was a scam at the beginning, but in the end I did fall in love with you" Coop told her.

"No, the altered you, that was fixed to fit me fell in love with me, and loved my kids, but that's not who you really are. And I'm not willing to take that chance with my kids. Any person who is devious enough to agree to some sick plan like you did is not the type of person I want near my kids" Phoebe snapped again.

"They are my kids too" Coop yelled.

"Not anymore" Phoebe yelled back.

"You can't just arbitrarily decide that they are suddenly just yours" Coop yelled again.

"Hell yes I can. Its over, completely, you will have nothing further to do with me or my children" Phoebe told him coldly.

"Come on Phoebe, at least allow me to have some kind of visitation rights" Coop pleaded.

Phoebe looked unhappy with the idea and said "I don't know…"

"Please, I love them, don't take them away from me. Don't take away their father, I love them" Coop interrupted.

"I just don't trust you with them" Phoebe said.

"Then you can supervise the visits if necessary" Coop offered.

"I don't want to be near you to have to supervise" Phoebe snapped.

"Well then have one of your sister's supervise or Leo, anyone, just please please let me see them" Coop begged.

Phoebe sighed looking highly unhappy but also resigned and finally said "Fine, but if you blow it, even once, it's over, forever. Understood?"

"Absolutely, thank you so much Phoebe" Coop said.

"Don't thank me; I'm not doing it for you. I'm doing it for them, I know what its like to grow up without a father, and if I can I'd like to prevent my children from having to know what that's like" Phoebe told him.

"Well, even so, thank you anyway" Coop said.

"Ya, whatever. Also just be at the courthouse tomorrow at noon for the final signing of the divorce forms" Phoebe told him.

Coop looked sad and nodded and with a burst of a pink heart he was gone.

"I really hope I'm doing the right thing allowing him to visit them" Phoebe said to herself.

PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

Phoebe walked into the house and saw a tall, huge man standing in the entryway, the man turned upon hearing her footsteps and she saw that his eyes glowed red, not a man at all.

"Demon!" Phoebe yelled to her sisters.

Paige and Piper ran out of the kitchen and Piper threw her arms up to blow him up, and she blew up his head. Phoebe looked relieved but the look on her face changed as she saw the demons head reforming again.

"Piper, he's getting better" Phoebe yelled.

"Dammit" Piper yelled and blew him up again, and this time he reformed quicker. Phoebe tried a roundhouse kick, but he grabbed her leg and threw her violently across the room and she slammed into the wall.

"Phoebe" Paige yelled and orbed over to check on her, as Piper continued to try to blow him up, each time he just regrew whatever body part she blew up, no matter how fast she did it, he still kept healing.

"Guys, get over here, I think this is a problem" Piper yelled.

Paige grabbed Phoebe's hand and orbed them both over to Pipers side.

"Ok, so now what?" Paige said.

"I don't know, he's immune to my power" Piper said.

"Duck!!!" Phoebe screamed.

Piper and Paige hit the ground and an energy ball flew right over their heads, exactly where their heads had been moments ago.

Phoebe rushed to help Piper up and turned to help Paige up, but not quick enough, as she was getting up the demon fired off another energy ball hitting Paige in the leg, she fell heavily. Piper raced to her side and Phoebe and her tried to get her up, and were only somewhat successful.

"Piper, what now?" Phoebe yelled in panic, and Piper gave her a hopeless blank look.

They both turned as they heard something of a battle charge and watched in horror as Prue threw herself at the demon, wrapping her armed around it, as if to chock it.

"Go get upstairs" Prue screamed at them.

Piper and Phoebe dragged Paige part way up the stairs, but turned as they heard a scream and saw Prue being thrown down the length of the entry, and she hit the door hard and kept going, the door shattering on impact. They stared in horror as Prue lay unmoving on the porch.

"Prue!" Piper screamed and made a movement as if to go to her.

"No, dammit, we can't. Come on we need to get to the attic" Phoebe yelled at her.

Piper looked anguished but quickly helped drag Paige up the stairs, moving as quickly as they could since they could hear the demon coming.

"Shut the door, and move stuff in front of it" Phoebe yelled as she dropped Paige on the floor and ran to the book.

Piper looked utterly panicked and pushed a dresser in front of the door and dragged Paige closer to the book.

"Phoebe, she's not conscious, what will we do, we'll need her to say the spell with us" Piper said.

"No, we won't. It probably better that she's not conscious, this will hurt a lot less this way" Phoebe said.

"What! You sound like you're giving in" Piper exclaimed.

"More like we are beaten" Phoebe said "He's an upper level demon, Corgantaz."

"So" Piper yelled and screamed as they heard an energy ball hit the door, which was smoking.

"So, upper level demons can only be vanquished with a potion of their own flesh, don't you remember" Phoebe said "Like it was with Belthazor."

Piper looked horrified and scared. "So what do we do?" She yelled.

"Nothing, there is nothing we can do, and with Paige out of commission, we can't even escape" Phoebe yelled as the door exploded open.

"Wait" Piper screamed her voice tinged with panic, you said like with Belthazor, call him, he's an upper level demon too, he can fight…" Piper did not get to finish but was hit with an energy ball, collapsing, her weight pulling Phoebe down with her.

"Piper! Piper wake up! Paige!" Phoebe screamed trying to get Piper off of her.

Phoebe jerked her head to the side barely avoiding being hit with another energy ball.

"Say goodnight witch" the demon taunted.

Cole, she thought, hoping to god that Prue was right about a connection between them. She was not sure if she believed it, but now it was that or nothing. He came the last time. Phoebe closed her eyes and concentrated with every fiber of her being on Cole, calling Cole.

"And Thus ended the Charmed Ones" the demon said with an energy ball resting in his hands.

Phoebe turned her head away, pulling Piper close to her and cringed waiting for the blow that she knew was coming…

I've decided to leave you with a cliff hanger. And also I want your opinion, I've introduced two guys to Prue, Bane and Justin (For those of you who don't remember Justin, he was in season three, in "Coyote Piper") So let me know which one you think I should have her end up with, I'm still undecided.


	12. Chapter 12

Phoebe turned her head away, pulling Piper close to her and cringed waiting for the blow that she knew was coming…

Her head jerked back up as she heard the expected explosion but not where she had expected it.

She was shocked to find that there, standing in front of her flinging energy balls at the demon, was Cole.

His energy balls appeared to be having an effect, and the demon seemed honestly bewildered over the fact that he was being hit with energy balls in the first place. The demon glanced over at where Phoebe still lay on the ground and growled "I'll be back witch, and next time I won't fail" And with that he shimmered out.

Cole instantly turned and lifted Piper off of Phoebe and held her in his arms so that Phoebe could get up, looking faintly indecisive about what to do now that he was holding her.

"Cole" Phoebe said "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I can't totally say. It was kinda like the last time I came to your rescue, something in me, I'm gonna make a slight guess and say my heart, pulled me here. Only this time it was much much stronger, it felt like my heart was breaking when I did not come immediately. I figured it was probably you again and in trouble, so I came. Just in time too it appears, what the hell happened? And where is Prue, we need her to heal your sisters, they aren't looking so good" Cole said.

"Well, I don't even know if Prue's alive" Phoebe said with a sob "The demon threw her through the front door, and she was not moving last I saw."

Phoebe had barely finished saying that when Cole put Piper down and shimmered out.

"Hey!" Phoebe yelled out.

Cole was back seconds later, this time carrying Prue. "She's alive, but barely. I did not think that white lighter could be this hurt" Cole said sounding worried "This is bad Phoebe, very bad. All three of them need medical attention, like now. And actually you're bleeding too, did you get hit too?"

"Not exactly, he threw me into a wall, but I'm the least of our worries. God, what do we do now?" Phoebe said sounding panicked. She started to cry softly. Cole slowly came over and put his arm around her, awkwardly trying to comfort her. She turned and started sobbing on his shoulder. And seconds later she was curled up in his lap with her arms wrapped around him crying her heart out. She seemed almost oblivious to what she was doing.

Finally Cole said "As much as I like holding you, and don't get me wrong I do, this really is not that constructive right now."

"You're right, we should at least get them to a hospital or something" Phoebe said.

"Alright, so let's shimmer them over there" Cole said.

"Okay, but how are we gonna get them all there?" Phoebe asked.

"Okay, lets see, do you think you could manage to kinda drag Paige? I think I can manage to carry Prue and Piper" Cole said.

"Ya, I think so, I have to be able to, there's no other choice" Phoebe said.

"Alright grab her and grab hold of me" Cole said as he picked up Prue and Piper, and put one over each shoulder "It's a good thing I'm a demon with demonic strength" he muttered.

"Ya" was all Phoebe said and she grabbed hold of his arm, holding Paige up with the other one.

Cole instantly shimmered them into the alley behind the hospital. "Alright, you got Paige?" he asked.

"Ya, lets go, we can't waste time" Phoebe said "They are still loosing blood fast."

"I know, but we need to get our story straight, believe me with wounds like this they are gonna ask questions. I was thinking we tell them that Prue does some scientific work with highly explosive chemicals and that she was having Piper and Paige help her with something and Paige misunderstood what she was supposed to put in and an explosion went off" Cole said.

"I guess, it's as believable as anything will be." Phoebe said as they dragged the three girls in to the emergency room, where the nurses, seeing the state of the girls, immediately rushed over yelling for some rolling beds to be brought.

"What happened here?" the nurse asked.

Phoebe exchanged a look with Cole that told him that he could tell the story "Well these are my… umm girlfriends three sisters; Prue, Paige and Piper. Prue does some scientific work with highly explosive chemicals and that she was having Piper and Paige help her with something and Paige misunderstood what she was supposed to put in and an explosion went off. We don't know exactly what they were mixing or doing since we were downstairs and only came running when we heard the explosion. Whatever it was it was bad, the explosion was huge, the attic is mess and the girls are even worse. They are loosing blood fast" Cole told her.

The nurse looked slightly skeptical, but nodded and said "alright well we'll do what we can. They are all three going into immediate surgery. While you wait there are several forms you need to fill out."

Phoebe nodded and took the forms and went back into the waiting room and sat down. Cole followed her and sat down beside her.

"Your girlfriend?" Phoebe commented.

"Ya, sorry about that, I panicked, and did not think ex-husband would make a lot of sense, most ex-husbands don't hang out at their ex's houses and help out. I thought it made the most sense, sorry" Cole said.

"It's alright, I'm hardly in a position to be yelling at you, since as you said, most ex-husbands wouldn't be helping" Phoebe said.

"No worries, I'm hardly the typical ex-husband" Cole commented.

"No, that your not" Phoebe said with a laugh, but instantly stopped looking worried and said "Do you think they will be alright?"

"I don't know. I hope so. Prue was the worst hurt, but at the same time, she's the one who can take the most hurt and live. Piper the next worst hit, she looked pretty bad, but she hadn't been hurt as long as Paige so she hadn't lost as much blood. And Paige I think will be okay, as long as she did not loose too much blood. All in all I think that the chances are good that they will be okay" Cole said.

"Trust you to not just say, ya they'll be fine" Phoebe said.

"Well I figured you'd rather hear the truth" Cole said.

"I would, its just that most guys don't do that, they shield you from the worst of it, its nice to have someone be straight with me, particularly since I'm sure the doctors won't be" Phoebe told him.

"Ya, well doctors never are, they don't want to cause panic I guess" Cole said.

"Ya, I understand the motive, but I still don't like it. I really wish that I could get ahold of Leo" Phoebe said.

"Glad to see that you're tired of my company already" Cole joked hoping to lighten the mood.

"Its not that, I just think he deserves to know what's going on, and I'd like to have his moral support too" Phoebe said "But he's in magic school, with all the kids, so I guess its best that he stays there, someone has to watch the kids after all."

"So Phoebe I have a question for you" Cole said.

"Oh ya, what?" Phoebe asked dreading the answer.

"Well, how is it that two times now, I've been practically dragged against my will, by my heart, to your side when you are in danger? Is this some spell or something?" Cole asked her.

"Well… umm it's not a spell. I'm not totally sure what it is" Phoebe said awkwardly.

"So you have no idea whatsoever?" Cole asked.

"Well, Prue kinda had a theory, but I did not totally believe it. She told it to me before, after it happened the first time. And now that it's happened again, I'm rethinking my opinion on her theory" Phoebe said.

"So what's the theory?" Cole asked.

"Well... umm... she thought, I mean it's just her opinion but she thought that we were kinda soul mates and that caused some connection…" Phoebe trailed off awkwardly.

"Soul mates?" Cole said.

"Umm ya, that what she thinks" Phoebe told him.

"I see, and here I thought your whole family thought that I did not have a soul" Cole said irritably.

"Cole, we know you have a soul, we've just had questions as to whether it's a good or bad one" Phoebe said.

"Is it even possible for the soul mate of one of the charmed ones to have a bad soul, I'm not sure the universe would allow that" Cole said.

"I really don't know. I haven't given it too much thought" Phoebe said.

"Well do you believe it?" Cole asked.

"Believe what?" Phoebe responded.

"That we are soul mates?" Cole asked.

"Well, I don't know. I mean at this point even I can't deny that there appears to be some kind of connection between us, so I really am not sure. I guess, I guess it's a possibility" Phoebe finally said.

Cole looked shocked and said "So what does that mean, for us, I mean where does that leave us?"

"Oh god Cole, I really don't know. I just can't think about that kind of thing right now, all three of my sisters are in surgery under critical condition, and tomorrow I go finalize my divorce, right now is not really a great time to be asking me about being soul mates" Phoebe snapped.

"Phoebe, in your life there is always something going on. Every time I've seen you there has been some huge event or disaster going on, that's just your life. You can't put this off forever, even if you don't like it, we have to figure something out about this connection, because I'd like to know how often I'm going to just be dragged to your side and such" Cole said.

"I know, I know. It's just too much right now. Cole, give me time, I can't deal with this right now. It's so easy for you, you know what you want, the same thing you have always wanted, but it's not so simple for me. I have kids and a life, people who depend on me; I can't go making snap decisions and such. I just got out of an eight year marriage, and I'm still dealing with that. I really don't know what I want at this point. And after all the heartache that Coop brought me, I just don't know how much more I can take. And with you it has always been some kind of heartache, I just don't know if I want to deal with it all right now" Phoebe said.

"But what if you don't have a choice. I mean this connection exists, even you admit that, and it's not going to disappear, so like it or not you'll have to deal with it. And if what Prue said is true and we are soul mates, I mean how can you turn away from that. Surely that guarantees that in the end we will be happy" Cole said.

"There are never any guarantees to happiness Cole. And yes, you're right I'm gonna have to deal with it, and probably soon. But one thing at a time, I'm gonna deal with my sisters and finalize my divorce before I go thinking about soul mates and such. Just give me some time, please" Phoebe said.

"Of course, I've waited for you for about twelve years now a few weeks or a month won't kill me" Cole said.

"Thank you" Phoebe said.

"Excuse me, is there a Ms. Halliwell here?" a nurse called out.

Phoebe and Cole both jumped up and rushed to the nurse. The Nurse gave Cole an odd look and Phoebe found herself saying "Oh that's just my boyfriend; you can talk freely in front of him."

"Alright then. Two of your sisters, a Mrs. Piper Halliwell and a Mrs. Paige Matthews, are out of surgery, and both surgeries were successful. They are on the way to a full recovery, particularly Mrs. Matthews, she is doings splendidly, she will be healing fine. And Mrs. Piper Halliwell is doing well too, she will take longer to heal, but she'll be fine" the nurse told them.

"But what about Prue?" Phoebe asked worried.

"Well, umm I'm sorry to tell you this…" The nurse said.

Phoebe bit her lip and reached back grabbing ahold of Coles hand in panic, with a death grip.

"…she is out of surgery too, but well her condition is still unstable, so we really don't know what's going to happen. She appears to have slipped into a coma" the nurse said. "I'm so sorry."

Phoebe looked ready to faint or cry and Cole said "Can we see them?"

"Oh yes, they are in rooms 234, 246, and 228" the nurse told them.

"Okay, Phoebe, come on calm down for me, come on Hun, breathe" Cole told her as she started to hyperventilate. "Dammit Phoebe, don't do this, Prue needs you."

"What do you mean?" Phoebe asked.

"She needs you there, to talk to her. Often times that pulls people out of a coma. And neither of your sisters can go to her. You have to go to her, she needs you" Cole told her.

"You're right. But what about Paige and Piper?" Phoebe asked.

"I'll go check on them. I'll even go pick up flowers. I'll tell them about each others conditions too. And once I've done that I'll go to magic school and tell Leo about what has happened" Cole said.

"I don't know if you should tell Leo, I mean someone has to stay with the kids, and he'll die knowing Pipers hurt and he has to stay there. But having him here would make Piper heal faster I'm sure, I don't know" Phoebe said indecisive.

"Alright, its okay. I'll tell Leo about what happened. But first I'll pick up your friend Billy and bring her to magic school to watch the kids, okay?" Cole said.

"How do you know about Billy?" Phoebe asked.

"That's a story for another day, there is not time right now. You just go concentrate on Prue, I'll handle the rest" Cole said.

"Thank you" Phoebe said "I don't know what I would have done without you today" And quickly she leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. And then she hurried off to see Prue. Cole stood for a moment, bringing his hand up to his cheek where she had kissed him and he smiled. Then he rushed off to the gift shop to get two bouquets of flowers.

PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

"Prue?" Phoebe said sitting down on the edge of Prue's bed, and taking her hand. "Come back to me Prue. You can't go leaving again. And what were you thinking doing something so suicidal like that! You should have been more careful, you don't always have to throw yourself in front of danger to protect us. Oh Prue, we just got you back and we are barely beginning to catch up. There is so much I want to tell you and show you. You have to come back; there is still so much you have to know. You can't leave me now, you just can't. I need you, we all need you. We can't take loosing you again. I love you, please come back. I love you Prue. Please don't leave me Prue" Phoebe said crying softly. She slowly got up on the bed too and curled up next to Prue and slowly drifted off the sleep, her last words being "Don't leave me Prue."

Several hours later Phoebe awoke to find eyes meeting hers. "Prue" she whispered as though afraid she would disappear if she blinked.

"Ya… I heard you, I could hear you. You told to com back, that you needed me." Prue said.

"Thank god, I was so scared Prue, I thought we were gonna loose you again." Phoebe told her.

"Don't worry, I won't leave you. I love you" Prue said.

"I love you too" Phoebe said. And slowly she got up, making sure to give Prue as gentle hug before she got off the bed. She saw a piece of Paper on the chair next to the bed and picked it up and read it out loud "Phoebe, we saw that you were asleep and decided to leave you with Prue. Cole and I took Piper and Paige home. Call me once you wake up. Love Leo."

"Well you better call them and tell them I'm awake. And while you are at it, ask the nurses when I can leave" Prue said.

"Wow, you aren't even awake ten minutes and already you're acting all bossy, good to see that your injuries to the head haven't changed you" Phoebe said jokingly.

"Oh you, go do as I say, I want to get out of here" Prue said.

"Alright, I'll be back in a bit" Phoebe said and went in search of a nurse.

PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

A few days later Phoebe, Piper and Paige all sat downstairs for the first time since the attack.

"I'm so glad you two are up and about again" Phoebe said.

"Ya, me too, although I still don't totally understand what happened. So tell us what really happened? " Paige asked "After I lost consciousness I mean, how did we manage to make it?"

"Well our survival can be placed in the hands of two people, neither of which you like" Phoebe said.

"Oh really, so how did we get away?" Paige asked again.

"Well right after you lost consciousness we were trying to get you up the stairs and it was an impossible task, we never would have had the time, if not for Prue. I have no idea what she thought she was doing, I mean I do, but I can't believe she did it. She threw herself at the demon and hung onto him, to buy us time. She had to know what he would do to her" Piper said starting to cry "But she did it, she held him just long enough."

"What do you mean she had to know what he was gonna do to her?" Paige asked.

"Well, she doesn't have her real powers now, she did not have a chance of actually fighting him, she was just trying to give us time to get away to the book, she knew she did not have a prayer of hurting him, and that he would hurt her. It was a fool's move, she shouldn't have done it" Piper said crying.

"But what happened to her?" Paige asked.

"He threw her through the front door, I thought she was dead, she was not moving and there was so much blood" Piper said sobbing.

"If she knew he would hurt her why would she do something so suicidal, she has to know that even white lighters can die from blood lose or sever enough wounds" Paige said horrified.

"Well she did it because she's Prue, and that's what she does. She's always done that, why do you think that she was the one to die. She always put our safety before hers and put herself in the path of danger to keep it from us" Phoebe said also sobbing.

"I don't understand why you both are crying" Paige said.

"Its just that, seeing her sacrificing herself again, seeing those actions of such love, it makes me feel so guilty that we let her and that we lost her. And it's also just that she loves us that much, it's just astounding the way she gives and gives to us, and she always has, it's kinda a realization of it all. It's probably why she was chosen as a white lighter, because she gives freely and without reserve to those she loves and I feel so blessed and loved by her. Its almost half sad tears and half happy" Phoebe told her and Piper nodded in agreement, seeming moved to the point of speechlessness.

"Oh" was all Paige said.

"Paige it's just that you don't see her like we do. I don't know why you dislike her so much, but I know whatever your reasons are they are just in your head and are insubstantial. I know this because there really is not any reason why you shouldn't love her as much as we do. She's one of the best people I know. She has always looked out for Piper and me, since we were kids. She practically had to give up her own childhood to raise us, and she did it, without complaint. And although she and I fought like cats and dogs when we were younger, if I needed her she would still be there in a moment. She took care of any bullies that might dare mess with us and held us when we cried. She was practically both mother and sister to us. And once we became charmed, she was always there protecting us. Stepping in front of whatever was oncoming to keep us from having to. She was always leading the way, first to be there when something went wrong. She held us together, and kept us alive. Without her there we wouldn't be here now. She loved us, probably more than anyone else ever has. I don't know what you are seeing when you look at her, but its wrong. Because that's what I see, and there's nothing there for you to hate" Phoebe told her.

Piper nodded and said "She was our best friend; the three of us were beyond close. I think I can speak for both Phoebe and I in saying that when she died, we wanted to go with her, and nothing in our life has been as hard as loosing her, not loosing Grams, or even mom. She was so much of our lives, every memory is associated with her, she was always there supporting us whether she liked what we were doing or not. She kept herself from living a life and going after her dreams to make sure that Phoebe and I could do so. She was so selfless and we wouldn't be where we are today without her. We love her more than anything and having her back is the greatest blessing and miracle that could ever occur."

They all turned when they heard a choked sob from behind them, and there stood Prue, clearly struggling not to cry.

"Oh you guys… god, I just missed you guys so much" Prue sobbed and Phoebe and Piper leapt up to wrap themselves in a tight three-way hug, all of them not ever wanting to let go.

"Guys, I don't know what to say. I just love you guys so much. I'm so sorry that I was not here for everything, all your important moments" Prue sobbed.

"Do not apologize, never apologize for that. And besides, you were here, you were always with us in our hearts, and especially during our important moments" Phoebe said also sobbing.

"Ya, you've been with us every moment, and we've always always hoped and prayed you'd come back to us" Piper sobbed.

"I know, I'm so sorry for not coming earlier. Not a week went by when I did not ask to be allowed to visit. I think that may be why they gave in and made me a white lighter to get rid of me. I missed you guys every minute, but I watched over you, all the time" Prue said continuing to sob.

"It's alright" Piper said still crying "We always knew that is was not your fault that you did not come, and knew you wanted to. We're just so glad that you finally are here. For that I can forgive the elders anything."

"I love you guys…" Prue said between sobs, "and I promise never to leave you guys again."

"That's good, since I don't think we could survive loosing you again" Phoebe told her.

"Ya, we couldn't bear it again" Piper said softly.

"You won't ever have to" Prue promised.

They all slowly turned as they heard Paige say "Umm…" and trail off unsure of what she should be doing. She looked very uncomfortable and awkward with all three sets of eyes on her.

"Oh Paige, I'm sorry, we did not mean to just ignore you" Phoebe said.

"Its ok, I mean you guys still probably have a lot of things to sort out and talk about, I don't belong here, so I'm just gonna go" Paige said.

It was Prue who finally asked "What do you mean you don't belong here?"

"What, oh nothing. I mean its just you guys are all… but never mind its nothing" Paige trailed off again.

"Paige, this is your home and family as much as any of ours" Phoebe told her.

"Is it?" Paige asked.

"Of course, how can you even ask that?" Piper said.

"I don't know. I guess I've just been scared. Scared that now with Prue back you won't need me anymore, that I'll lose you, that you will forget me" Paige said sadly.

"Paige, that will never happen. You are a part of this family, whether you like it or not, and there is no changing that now. Nothing will change that, not the entrance or exit of any number of family members. We love you, as you, we don't love you because we need you, and even if we stopped needing you, which we haven't, we'd still love you and want you around. I'm really sorry if our paying so much attention to Prue has made you feel left out or slighted, that really was not our intention. We were just so thrilled to have Prue back we never considered that you might feel like this or feel left out" Phoebe told her.

"Actually, it had nothing to do with what you've been doing lately. This fear has kinda always been with me. While you were praying for Prue to come back I was praying for the opposite, having her come back was my worst fear. And now suddenly it's been realized" Paige said.

"Why? Why am I your biggest fear? You hadn't even met me" Prue stated.

"I know, and that was part of it probably, the fear of the unknown. But basically I knew that you were the only possible person who could make them forget me or get rid of me" Paige said.

"But why would you think I would do that?" Prue asked.

"I don't know. I'm not even sure that it is that I think you will do it, its just that you could, and the fear of knowing that, that suddenly on a whim you could destroy my life, that's probably where its based off" Paige told her.

"But I'd never do that" Prue responded.

"Wouldn't you?" Paige asked "You've made your dislike of me quite clear, I just figured it was just a matter of time. I may not have liked you, but you did not like me either."

"It was not that I did not like you, it was that I was jealous of all the time and experiences that you got to have with our sisters. And you were being so antagonistic; and that was what led to the dislike, you always being so bitchy" Prue told her.

Paige paused looking unsure of what to say now. "I've always been afraid of you Prue and resentful. I was afraid that I'd never be as good as you and resentful that I had to fill your place and live up to your name. I was afraid that you'd take everything away from me, and so resentful that you could. I was so afraid that they loved you more than me and that I'd never get them to love me as much. I hated you for that, for having them love you so much when you were gone and I felt like somehow they loved you even dead more than me. I always felt that I just was not as good as you and that because of that I'd always be second in their hearts. And I hated you for it, I hated you and was so afraid of you and honestly wished that you'd never even been born, that I could have been here the whole time" Paige said starting to cry.

Piper, Phoebe and Prue looked beyond shocked; they looked and felt completely speechless. What could you say in response to that? Piper started to say something, but Prue shook her head, no.

"Paige, I'm sorry that I caused you so much pain. You have to know that I never meant to and never knew I did. You don't need to try and fill my shoes or my place, you never did. You aren't expected to be me, I'm the only one who can do that, and you shouldn't try, it's not right, and not fair. You are allowed to be who you are, you never needed to change or mold yourself into my image, and you shouldn't try to hold yourself up against me. I'm just one witch, and other than being a charmed one, I'm nothing extraordinary. This just is not coming out right. Let me try again. You are an individual Paige, an amazing individual who has gone through so much and come so far. You are an amazing witch who has done wonderful things. You have nothing to be ashamed of or feel unworthy about. You are a charmed one, by your own right. You have earned your place, as the third charmed one, as Paige. That's third spot in the charmed group belongs to you now, as yourself, and it will always be your place. You earned it and deserve it. I'm never going to take it from you, it's yours, forever whether you like it or not. I had my turn and now it's yours. The charmed ones were broken, you did not come in and replace me, you came in and rebuilt the charmed ones with our sisters, it's a different charmed ones than it was with me. And that's ok, that's how it's supposed to be. And I'm proud of you. You did an amazing thing; you saved our sisters and so many others. You should be proud of yourself and what you have done, you are in no way inferior to me, and you never were. You're just different, and that's how it's meant to be, things are just how they are supposed to be. And I'm happy where I am now, and I'm so glad that you are here to be a charmed one with our sisters. I'm truly proud of you, of all of you, of all you've done and accomplished. You've done so much and I'm so proud to be your sister. I always felt jealous while up there, but still proud. I always wanted to be a sister to you and to know you. I was terribly hurt at how you acted when I met you and I lashed out and that started a terrible pattern that prevented me from getting to do what I had always planned. If it is possible, and if you are agreeable. I'd like to start over, and try being your sister, and actually getting to know you" Prue said, slightly teary eyed.

Paige on the other hand was not just teary eyed, but crying. "Thank you, it means so much that you are proud of me and think that I deserve to be a charmed one. I'm so sorry for being so horrible, you did not deserve it, and I don't deserve another chance, but I'd still love to have one. Phoebe and Piper love you so much, and I'd love to get the chance to get to know the person that they know and love so much."

Prue smiled and took a step nearer to Paige, hesitantly opening her arms. Paige walked into them and the sisters embraced, both crying softly.

They looked up to see that Phoebe and Piper were both crying too.

"We're just so glad to see you two like this, we always hoped that we'd be able to be one big happy family" Phoebe said.

At that Prue opened her arms wider motioning them to come over. And within seconds Piper and Phoebe joined in the group hug, feeling, finally, for the first time ever, like a real happy family.

Finally after they all got a chance to calm down Paige said "So wait, you said that there was another person involved in our rescue, I assume it was Cole, since when I woke up at the hospital he was sitting in my room."

"Ya, it was. I better explain how it came about so you don't freak. So Piper and I dragged you up the stairs and Piper put stuff in front of the door while I looked in the book. I found the demon and saw that he was upper level and required a potion of his flesh to be vanquished, just like Belthazor I said to Piper. And then the demon broke through and just as Piper was hit with an energy ball she told me to call Cole. And so, with the demon standing before me with an energy ball in hand, I did just that, just in time might I add. And then Cole hit him with energy balls until he left" Phoebe said "And then he shimmered me and you guys to the hospital and helped me out. Actually he was a total lifesaver, keeping me calm, going to get Leo and Billy and taking care of all the details and paperwork, I was not very calm and rational at the time, so I couldn't have managed without him."

"Well, that's surprising" Paige said.

"Ya, I thought so too, but he was great. He defiantly left me with a lot to think about" Phoebe said.


	13. Questionaire

Alright, this is not another chapter, it's merely a questionnaire. I have the next chapter all in my mind, except for a few points, and that's the guys. I can't decide which guys to match with Prue and Paige. So I thought I'd see what you thought and go from there. So review and tell me if you want:

Prue with:

Bane

Justin Harper

Jack (I haven't brought him in yet, but I just watched an episode with him, and thought that I might bring him in.)

Other ( Yes I know most people would like to have Andy brought back, but there are only so many people that I can bring back as white lighter and I can't think of how else to bring him back, sorry)

Paige with:

Kyle

Glenn

Henry (I'm not a huge fan of him, but I could probably make it work)

Other

Let me know what you'd like to see.

On another note, I thought I'd give you the heads up that first off this story is taking a slightly different path than I originally planned, and I think it is going to turn out to be a long story that is about the whole family, it will still be Phoebe/Cole centered, because well that's the best, but I'm going to build up everyone's story, so this may turn out to be a very long story. I just don't seem to be able to trim down this story to only involve Phoebe and Cole, the others are just too involved in their lives. So that means that this story is going to follow all their lives throughout the rise and fall, hopefully, of the new source. The story will look into the romances of Piper, Prue and Paige, as well as Phoebe. So now you are warned, and I hope that you will like the story this way.

Anyway on another note, my college classes have just stated getting a lot harder and are taking a lot more of my time, so that means that sadly I won't be updating as much. But I'll try to update as often as possible.

Anyway review and let me know which of the guys you prefer! Thanks!


	14. Chapter 13

Prue sighed and said "Look Justin, I'm really sorry, but…" She trailed off.

"Let me guess, you're not my type" Justin said.

"No, that not it, not exactly. I like you, I do, but it's just not gonna work. Right around the time you can back into my life, so did someone else. Someone who I actually had been involved with. And well, I really feel that I have to give that relationship a chance. When I accepted this date, I figured that since we hadn't said that we were exclusive it would be okay, but now I really don't think so. I'm really sorry, you're great and I wish that I could have you both, but I can't. And he and I have history; I owe it to him and to me, to give it a try. So I'm sorry, I just really can't see you again" Prue said.

"Oh, well I'd be lying if I said I was okay with it, or that I understand. But, you have to do what you feel is right, and that I do understand. So... still friends?" Justin asked.

"Of course" Prue said sounding relieved.

"Alright, well I guess that means no goodnight kiss, so I guess I'll see you around" Justin said and turned and walked back to his car.

Prue sighed and went into the manor and saw her sisters all gathered around the window.

"So how did it go?" Paige asked, somewhat hesitantly.

"Did you tell him?" Piper asked.

"Did you kiss him" Phoebe asked.

"Phoebe!" Prue said.

"What, I was just asking. So did you?" Phoebe asked.

Prue glared at her and said "No, that wouldn't be right. I told him that I couldn't see him."

"Well I still say that you should have told Bane to get lost, not Justin" Piper said.

"So you've told me, frequently" Prue said.

"Ya well, freedom of speech" Piper said.

"Har har har. I'm not asking you guys to date Bane" Prue said.

"I wish you would, he's yummy!" Phoebe said.

"Oh Phoebe, what are we gonna do with you!" Piper said.

"Love me!" Phoebe cried out dramatically.

"So speaking of guys, what's up with you and Cole?" Prue asked.

"There is a "you and Cole"?" Paige asked.

"No, there is not. Nothing is up, I haven't talked to him" Phoebe said.

"And why not?" Prue asked.

"You act like you want me to" Phoebe said.

"Who says I don't?" Prue asked.

"You did, many times while I was dating him" Phoebe replied.

"Yes well that was then and this is now" Prue told her.

"Still, I wouldn't know what to say, I don't even know what I want to say" Phoebe said.

"Well, maybe thank him for helping you with everything at the hospital and go from there" Prue said.

"I can't, not yet. I don't want to talk to him till I know what I want" Phoebe said.

"What do you mean, what you want?" Paige asked.

"Oh, ya, well. See Prue has this theory that Cole and I are soul mates, and that's why he can call him when I need him and how he knows to come when something's wrong with me" Phoebe said.

"Soul mates?" Paige said skeptically.

"Yes" Prue said shortly.

"And do you think so?" Piper asked.

"I…don't know. I mean I don't have a better explanation for how he feels my pain and so on, but I'm not sure I want to believe it, it just makes everything so much more complicated" Phoebe said.

"That's for sure" Piper said.

"Does Cole know?" Paige asked.

"Umm, ya, well I kinda told him" Phoebe said.

"Phoebe!" Paige chastised.

"What! He wanted to know how he kept being drawn to my pain, and it kinda slipped out. And he wanted to know what that meant for us, and I told him I needed time to think" Phoebe told them.

"And now that you've thought about it" Prue prompted.

"I still don't know. I mean, it's just complicated. I'm in the middle of getting a divorce and I have kids now, it's just not as simple as it was. And I'm not sure he realizes it, I'm not the same person, and my kids are my life. And he doesn't even know them, I don't think he gets that he has to take the whole package, and I'm not even sure I want to give it to him" Phoebe said.

"You're thinking too much" Prue told her.

"Well that's new, usually you say I'm not thinking at all" Phoebe joked.

"You need to stop seeing it as an all or nothing thing" Prue said.

"What do you mean?" Phoebe asked.

"Well, you say he doesn't realize it's not the same, but I'm not sure you realize it either. You talk about it as if you will pick up where you left off, but you said it yourself; you're different people, so stop thinking of it as picking up where you left off and think of it as starting over. Go on a date, talk, do all that normal stuff. Worry about the rest later, for now, don't over complicate it, just let it be simple for awhile" Prue told her.

"Actually, I think you're right, I guess I did see it as picking up where we had left off. But maybe you have the right idea. Maybe I'll just go over there and talk to him, thank him for his help and ask him to go to dinner, to just talk about things. To get to know him again or something" Phoebe said.

"Good" Prue said.

"But first, I have to know if you all will be alright with this? I mean with my maybe getting involved with Cole again" Phoebe said.

"Well obviously I will support it" Prue said.

"I will too, I just want you to be happy" Piper said.

"Thanks guys, and how about you Paige?" Phoebe asked.

"I guess I can deal with it, especially if you are taking it slow, that will give me time to get used to it. But if he hurts you again, I'll make sure he gets to hell this time" Paige said.

Phoebe smiled and her eyes teared up. She held out her armed and her sisters hugged her.

"Thanks you guys, it means so much to me that you will support me" Phoebe said.

"We just want you to be happy, you deserve to be happy" Paige said.

"Thanks" Phoebe said.

"Now go get your man" Prue said.

"Now?" Phoebe asked.

"No time like the present" Prue told her.

"You're right, how do I look?" Phoebe asked.

"Beautiful" Piper said.

"Wish me luck" Phoebe said.

"We wish you all the luck in the world" Paige said.

"Here goes nothing" Phoebe said and grabbed her purse and went out the door.


	15. Chapter 14

"Alright, guys, now don't overreact, but I have to tell you something about Christmas tomorrow" Phoebe said.

"That is not the type of sentence I like to hear" Prue said.

"Ya, what's wrong?" Paige said.

"I just knew something was bound to ruin our first Christmas all together" Piper said sadly.

"Oh no no, it's nothing wrong, and hopefully it won't ruin Christmas" Phoebe said.

"Alright, enough with the suspense thing, just tell us" Prue said.

"Well, I invited Cole over here for Christmas" Phoebe said.

"What!" Paige exclaimed.

"Well, it's just that the whole dinner and movie thing went really well. We talked about work, and things going on. About demons we recently vanquished and about our likes and dislikes, all the usual things. But still it was just very one dimensional, I mean there was not a lot of depth. I mean we stayed off the subject of the future, of us, of you guys, of my family and divorce, and all that type of things. But still, even though we stayed away from all that I had the best time I've had in a long time. But still those things need to be discussed, and I thought that Christmas would be perfect. See I want him to meet my kids, and yours and get used to the family thing again. And also, I did not want him to be alone on Christmas" Phoebe told them.

"Well I'm all for it, I mean I was planning on dropping by his place and giving him his present, but now I guess I won't need to. Besides, I'm having Bane come, so its only fair if you can have Cole" Prue said.

Piper paused as though thinking about it and then said "Well if the soul mates bit is true, then most likely we are gonna have him at most of the future holidays, might as well get used to it sooner I guess.

"Ya, I guess its okay" Paige said grudgingly.

"Thanks you guys" Phoebe said.

PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

"Cole, you're here, great" Prue said opening the door and giving Cole a hug, which he returned. Then he picked up a large box, which had presents practically falling out of it.

"Merry Christmas" Cole said.

"Merry Christmas to you too. Wow, think you got enough presents there" Prue said.

"Ya well you have a large family" Cole replied.

"Oh god, don't tell me you actually got gifts for everyone" Prue said.

"Yep, even the kids, although I've only met Paige's, and even then they weren't conscious. So I kinda had to guess on that" Cole told her.

"I'm sure there all great, but you did not have to do that" Prue said.

"Yes I did, its good manners" Cole said.

"If you say so, well come in, you can put all the presents under the tree, that's were all the others are" Prue said.

"All the others? Haven't you guys opened all yours yet?" Cole asked.

"Oh no, its tradition to have a big Christmas dinner and then we open all the presents" Prue said.

"Oh, well that's interesting, so are Piper and Paige furious at Phoebe inviting me here?" Cole asked.

"Nope, actually they were okay with it" Prue said.

Cole gave her a disbelieving look and said "Ya right."

"Its true, go find out yourself, everyone is in the kitchen, so come on" Prue said and went to the kitchen.

Cole went and quickly put all the presents under the tree and then followed Prue into the kitchen.

"Cole" Phoebe said and came and gave him and hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Phoebe good to see you, Merry Christmas everyone" Cole said awkwardly.

"Merry Christmas" Piper replied back.

"Anything I can do to help?" Cole asked.

"No, well actually you can help Leo get chairs" Piper said.

"Sure" Cole said and headed off.

PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

"So Cole, before we eat, why don't I introduce you to everyone" Phoebe said.

"Sure" Cole said.

"Umm obviously you know my sisters and Leo" Phoebe said.

"Um ya" Cole said and gave her a strange look.

"Well this is Bane, Prue's boyfriend" Phoebe said.

Cole shook hands with Bane and then said to him "Great to meet you" Then Cole paused and gave Prue and significant look and said "So how familiar is he with the family?"

"Oh don't worry, Bane knows all about the magic" Prue said.

"Oh, are you magical?" Cole asked.

"No, I've just have a lot of interactions with magic" Bane said.

"Anyway, moving on. You've kinda met Paige's kids, but I don't think you were introduced. So this is Phaedra, Priscilla and Henry Jr. Kids, this is my… umm well this is Cole" Phoebe said.

"Hello Mr. Cole" Phaedra said.

"Oh, you can just call me Cole, the Mr. bit is not needed" Cole said.

"And these are Pipers kids, Wyatt, Chris, and Prudence Melinda, who we call Mel now that Prue's back" Phoebe told him.

"Wait a sec, the oldest is clearly a boy, but when I umm… left, she was pregnant with a girl, what happened?" Cole said and then winced as though realizing that might not be a good question to ask.

"Oh don't worry Cole, I did not loose the baby, fate just had other plans for me and gave me a boy. We all assumed it was a girl since when I went to the future I had a little girl. We never thought to check, so Wyatt was defiantly a surprise, but a good one" Piper said.

"Oh, well good. Although I thought I remembered Phoebe saying that your line only had girls" Cole said.

"Well up till Wyatt there had been only girls for over a hundred years, but well I guess things change" Piper said.

"Boy, I bet your grandmother loved that change" Cole said.

Piper made a face and said "Ya, she was not too thrilled at first, but she got over it."

"Anyway, last but not least, Cole, these are my daughters. This is Philana, Paulette and Pegatha" Phoebe said nervously.

"Its nice to meet you girls, you're as beautiful as your mother" Cole said.

"Are you gonna be our new daddy?" the youngest, Pegatha, asked.

"What, no, I mean, you already have a daddy, I mean, umm Phoebe you wanna help me out here" Cole said.

"Girls, you still have a daddy, he's just not living here anymore" Phoebe said.

"Okay mommy" Pegatha said.

"Well I guess that sums up the introductions" Phoebe said.

"Good, then lets go eat" Piper said.

"Okay" Phoebe said.

"Finally" Paige said.

PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

"Well that was a wonderful dinner Piper, I always loved your cooking" Cole said.

"Thank you" Piper said smiling.

"Brown noser" Prue whispered.

"So who wants to open presents?" Piper asked.

"I do! I do! I do!" all the kids yelled.

"Okay, then lets go sit by the tree and then Paige can pass out the presents" Piper said.

They all headed into the living room, and the adults quickly took the couches while the children sprawled out on the floor.

They all waited, the kids continually asking if they could open theirs, till Paige passed out the presents.

Cole looked shocked to see that he actually had five presents in front of him.

Just as Pegatha was about to open her first present a pink light filled the room; and Coop appeared smiling.

Coop said cheerfully "Hey everyone, I just I'd stop by and see my girls on Christmas and bring some gifts and…" Coop trailed off as he turned and saw Phoebe sitting on the couch with Cole, who had his arm around her. He stared in shock at the sight of Pegatha sitting in Cole lap.

"Oh, Coop… ummm… this is Cole, I told you about him…" Phoebe said trailing off.

"Well ya, but you forgot to mention that you were back with him and that you were letting him fill my place with our daughters" Coop said sounding hurt.

"Look Coop its just not like that, I mean I'm just starting to see him. And I'm not planning on letting him take your place. He can hold Peg in his lap without replacing you, stop being ridiculous" Phoebe said.

"Ya whatever, here are my presents for the girls. I'm just gonna go, clearly I have no place here anymore" Coop said and Cole watched him slip a small present, that had Phoebe on the tag, back into his pocket, clearly seeing he couldn't give it too her.

Coop disappeared in another burst of pink.

"Well, that was awkward" Prue said.

"Ya" Phoebe said softly, clearly upset.

"Well kids, why don't you open a present each" Piper said to distract the kids and then she said "Look Phoebe, don't let him get you all depressed. You're divorced you have every right to date anyone you like. He was the one who played you; you've done nothing wrong, so stop with the mood. Its not becoming for Christmas."

"You're right, I'm not gonna let him ruin Christmas for me" Phoebe said.

"That's the spirit, now here, why don't you open this one from me" Paige said and Phoebe did just that.

Soon the kids looked very happy with the gaudy play jewelry that Cole had gotten the girls and the water guns that he got the boys.

Piper looked quite pleased at the cookbook that Cole gave her and Prue clearly liked the photography book he gave her.

Paige however looked quite bewildered at the gadgets sitting in front of her.

Finally she asked "What are they?"

"They are for your keys. See that big thing you hang on a wall somewhere and you attach one of the little things to each set of keys. And when you loose one you push the button on the thing on the wall and the thing on the keys makes noise so you can find them. I remembered back from when I lived here, how you always loose your keys, I thought this might help" Cole said.

"Oh, how clever, thanks" Paige said.

Leo seemed to love the tool kit that Cole gave him and then told him to open the present from him.

"You gave me a present? Is it from you and Piper or just you?" Cole asked.

"Just from me" Leo said.

Cole had a surprised look oh his face and then quickly opened the present to see two tickets to a football game.

"Wow, thanks. Can you believe I've actually never been to a sports game" Cole said.

"Ya well I thought that might be the case. I was thinking we could go together" Leo said.

"You want to go with me? Why?" Cole asked.

"Well, a couple reasons. First off, you aren't a bad guy, when you aren't evil or possessed. And second it seems you might be hanging around a lot again, and last time I kinda made the mistake of not really being your friend so much, so I was hoping not to screw up again" Leo said.

"I'm not sure I understood that, but thanks" Cole said.

"Here Cole, this ones from me" Paige said handing him a package.

"You got me a present?" Cole said astonished.

"Ya well don't make too big a deal of it" Paige muttered.

Cole opened it to see a black tee shirt that had _Born to be Bad_ written on the front of it.

Cole gave Paige a look and she cracked up. Then he said "Well, its.. nice."

"Yep, I thought you'd like it" Paige said.

"Cole, this ones from me" Prue said and handed him a package that was neatly wrapped.

Cole opened it to see a beautiful framed black and white photo of him and Phoebe asleep on the couch in each others arms.

"Wow, this is amazing, I've never seen it before" Cole said.

"Ya, well I took it just before I died so it was never seen" Prue said.

Phoebe took it and looked at it and said "god, it's a great picture Prue."

"Thanks" Prue said.

"Well after that my present doesn't look so great, but here it is anyway" Piper said.

"I don't understand, why are you all giving me presents?" Cole asked.

"Well, that's just how it is" Prue said.

"We did not do a great job of making you part of the family last time, so I guess we've decided to try harder this time so things turn out better" Piper said.

"But I'm not still a part of this family" Cole said confused.

"Ya well, what with that whole soul mate thing, it just seems like there's a good chance of it in the future, so we're just making a preemptive strike" Prue said.

"Ya, so you gonna open my present or what" Piper said.

Cole looked curiously at the large box in his hands and then opened it and stared at the contents inside. Inside there were loafs of banana bread, cookies, what looked like chicken pot pie, huge bowls of soup, muffins and other goodies.

"Um what's this?" Cole asked.

"Well I figured that as a bachelor living alone, you probably did not eat great. So I thought food would be a good present. Most of it you can freeze and eat later" Piper said.

"Oh, thank you, what a nice thought" Cole said.

"Well here's my present for you" Phoebe said.

Cole eagerly took it and opened it. First he pulled out a very bold funky tie. Then he pulled out a book called, _finding yourself_. And last he pulled out a piece of paper and a pair of tickets.

"I got us a year's membership, or rather a year of tickets at the theater. That's eight different shows" Phoebe said.

Cole kinda had a confused look on his face, but then he smiled. Understanding that the tickets were more than tickets. They were her way of saying she felt that they'd be together that long.

"Thank you, I love them" Cole said.

Cole then reached under the tree and pulled out the last gift and handed it to Phoebe.

"Here, this is for you, from me" Cole told her.

Phoebe smiled and opened it. She gasped as she pulled out the white gold and diamond pendant of two hearts interlocked.

"Its beautiful" Phoebe said and slowly leaned over and gave Cole a soft quick kiss on the lips.

"I'm glad you like it" Cole said.

"I love it" Phoebe said softly.

"Good, Merry Christmas Phoebe" Cole said.

"Merry Christmas Cole" Phoebe said and smiled.


	16. Chapter 15

Phoebe stood with Cole, with her sisters and Leo behind them. She glared at the group of elders arrayed in front of her.

"Why did you bring us here?" Phoebe demanded.

"A situation has come to our attention and we need to deal with it" the elder said.

"Oh really, and what situation is that?" Phoebe asked.

"We need to deal with the resurrection of one Cole Turner" Said the elder in the lead.

"This is not your business, you have no right to interfere" Phoebe practically yelled.

"This court has already looked over the case Ms. Halliwell. And we reached a decision" the elder said continuing on like he hadn't heard her.

"What! How is that fair, this is supposed to be a trial, we have the right to defend ourselves!" Phoebe did yell this time.

"Why did you bother to call us all up here if you were not going to allow us to present our case?" Piper asked snappishly.

"I can prepare a full case for you…" Cole said only to be cute off.

"Not in this case Ms. Halliwell. We feel that Mr. Turner is too much of a danger too be allowed and this is non negotiable" the elder stated, ignoring Cole.

"Nothing is non negotiable." Phoebe snapped "And might I remind you, you do not own us nor do you control us, so don't act like you are in some position of power."

"But we are, we may not control you, but we do control the fate of Mr. Turner, and we can hand out our judgment with or without your consent, we may not control you but we do have the power to overrule you" the elder stated. "And we have already ruled that Mr. Turner is evil and responsible for too much evil to be allowed to continue on."

"That's not true! He's done a great deal of good too! And he is responsible for even more. He is responsible for the reconstitution of the charmed ones and therefore responsible for all the good that we have done since Paige joined us!" Phoebe yelled pleadingly.

That seemed to catch the elders attention "Why do you say that?" he asked.

"Because he saved Paige's life from Shax, kept her from being killed and never meeting us. And then he was responsible for us finding Paige and keeping her from becoming evil, at much risk to himself might I add. He also kept Piper and me alive while Paige was still learning witchcraft" Phoebe said passionately. "And he is not responsible for all the things he did as the source, he was possessed, and before that it was not his human half that did all the horrible things, you have no right to punish him for something his demonic half did without his knowledge of consent!"

"Yes, well that all may be true, but that doesn't make up for a century of evil deeds, they were done, and someone must be held responsible for them" the elder stated again.

"But someone was, Balthazor, and he was vanquished" Phoebe said pleadingly.

"But he is back now, now isn't he" the elder said.

"That only partly true, Cole now has Balthazar's power, but Balthazar the personality is not back. Cole just has control of those powers" Phoebe said.

"That just doesn't do it, it doesn't balance out. Even if that is true and Cole the human controls those powers, he is still too dangerous" The elder snapped.

"That's not fair, any power can be dangerous if in the wrong hands, but Cole is not evil now so he is not dangerous" Phoebe exclaimed.

"You have no proof that he is good, and your word just is not good enough" the elder snapped.

"Since when has the word of a charmed one not been good enough?" Prue snapped suddenly.

"That's not what I meant" the elder said backtracking upon seeing the fury in Prue's eyes.

"You are supposed to be the good guys, the ones who are all about trust and forgiveness and second chances, and you haven't given Cole any of those" Prue said.

"We only give second chances to those deserving of them, and he has not done good things to show that he deserves a second chance and therefore is not deserving" the elder stated.

"Yes he has, and he will do more good deeds if allowed to continue on. And, I promise you that more evil will come from you killing him than from allowing him to live. Because if you kill him, I will cross over and become evil myself" Phoebe stated coldly.

Piper and Paige both looked surprised, and confused as though they were unsure of what to do. Prue looked pleased. Finally Piper stated in an equally cold voice "As will I"

Paige looked shocked and uncomfortable, and finally looking as though it pained her to say it she added "Me too."

"Oh yeah, I'm totally in" Prue said.

"You are a white lighter, you cannot be evil" the elder said.

"Oh really, you really want to test that theory, because I'd love to prove you wrong" Prue said.

The elders looked horrified. Cole looked grateful and Phoebe looked worried and pissed off. Finally the elders said "We will have to go discuss this" and they all turned and went off through a door, shutting it firmly behind them.

"Now what?" Paige asked.

"Now we wait" Phoebe answered.


	17. Chapter 17

"What is taking so long?" Phoebe asked nervously.

"When you live forever, time has very little meaning" Leo told her.

"Yeah, well us mere mortals are growing a little tired of waiting, so they better move their butts or head are going to roll" Piper said irritated.

"Piper!" Leo exclaimed.

Prue grinned and said "I wonder if that would do it? Could they really survive having their head chopped off?"

"Ahem!" A voice said loudly from behind them.

"Oh, you're finally back" Piper said irritated.

The elder gave her a cold look, which she returned.

"I assume you have come to a decision?" Phoebe asked, trying not to show how nervous she was.

"We have. In light of your testimonies…"

"And threats" Prue added smugly.

The elder glared and continued on ignoring her. "In light of that, we have decided to put Mr. Turner on probation, for the duration of six months. If in that time it is shown that you are an asset to the side of good, than you will be allowed to live, if not, that the sentence previously mentioned will be carried out."

"Cole an asset to the side of good?" Paige muttered and then shut up as her sisters gave her a warning glare.

"Mr. Turner, you will be assigned probation white lighter who will observe you and pass judgment" the elder told him.

"Alright" Cole said neutrally.

"He will come by within the next week to see you" the elder said and without another word orbed out.

"What a bastard!" Phoebe exclaimed furiously.

Prue grinned and said "Talk about having a stick up his…"

"Prue!" Leo said interrupting.

Everyone laughed, trying to let go of their tension. They all exchanged weary relieved smiles, glad that this ordeal was finally over and settled, at least for the time being.

"Well let's get out of here" Paige said.

"Lets go home" Phoebe said cheerfully, her good mood restored with the knowledge that Cole was not going to be taken away again.

PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

"Cole, why don't you stay for dinner" Piper asked as he turned to leave the house.

"What?" Cole asked looking surprised.

"Yeah! We should have a celebratory dinner for Cole getting probation" Prue said cheerfully.

"I don't want to impose" Cole said quietly.

"Oh be quiet, if it was imposing I wouldn't have asked you to stay" Piper informed him tartly.

"Oh, well if you won't mind, then yes I'd love to say, I always enjoy having Piper's cooking" Cole said.

"Is probation really something to be celebrated, it just means we have six month of stress and worry" Paige said walking into the kitchen.

"Oh don't be such a downer" Prue said happily.

"Besides its better than their first offer, so we need to just be grateful that we got this" Phoebe said.

"I wonder who the white lighter will be?" Leo asked.

"Yeah, hope its not some totally uptight rule person like that friend of yours was Leo" Prue said, and Piper and Phoebe both burst out laughing.

"You shouldn't speak ill of the dead" Leo said firmly.

"We weren't exactly speaking ill, besides, what difference does it make, we spoke about her like that when she was alive, to speak otherwise now would just be hypocritical of us" Piper told him.

Paige looked left out, and turned to leave the kitchen.

"Where are you going?" Cole asked in an undertone.

"None of your business" Paige muttered.

"I don't know what they are talking about either, that's just how it works. There will be times that you don't know things, and that Prue doesn't know things, you can't storm off each time" Cole told her in a hushed voice.

Paige looked surprised, but then nodded and turned back to the others.

"I hope its someone nice like Leo was" Phoebe said.

"Yeah, this could totally be a trap, I mean not too many whitelighter are going to like the idea of watching a demon, they will likely be prejudiced from the start" Piper said.

"Most whitelighter do seem to be that way" Prue said irritated.

"You're a whitelighter too" Paige said.

"Kinda, but I don't really associate with my fellow whitelighters, I don't go up there often and when I do, we just aren't the same so we don't talk" Prue said.

"Well we'll find out soon enough what kind of person he is, so there is no use worrying about it now" Leo told them.

"True, it's much better to worry about dinner" Prue said looking smug.

"What?" Piper said.

"The pans on fire" Prue told her grinning evilly.

Piper jerked around to the stove to see her pan burning brightly.

"Ah!" Piper yelled and froze it.

Paige grabbed the extinguished and sprayed down the stove, and mistakenly catching Piper too.

Piper turned slowly, covered in white, and gave Paige a look. Paige cowered back and rushed out of the room called behind her "Sorry! It was an accident!"

"Paige!" Piper yelled and raced after her.

"Its really never quiet in the Halliwell house" Cole said laughing.

"Maybe we should order out?" Phoebe said.

.

Okay everyone, I'm really sorry I haven't updated in so long. I've been so busy with college that I really haven't written anything in a long time. But finally I have a little time, so here is another chapter.

On another note… a question for everyone. Who should the new whitelighter be? I have a few ideas, but I'm open to suggestions. So if anyone has ideas of preferences let me know. Bye!


End file.
